Risotto

I can't make rice. I fully acknowledge this. It turns out crunchy EVERY SINGLE TIME. I can, however, make risotto without screwing it up!

For this recipe, you need a special kind of rice called Arborio. It's a short grain rice (instead of the more traditional long grain). I had trouble finding it in our small town, but if you live around a Kroger or something, you may be more successful (I think most Super Wal-Marts carry it now as well).

This serves 2 people as a main course. Double amounts to serve four(as a main course), or use this to serve 4 as a side.

1/2 a large onion (I used vidalia), finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2/3 cup of arborio rice
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
1 can of chicken broth
1 can of water (empty the broth, fill the can back up with water, then add it to the broth)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese
cooked chicken
salt and pepper to taste

Add your chicken stock/broth to a small sauce pan and keep warm.

I start off with the butter and olive oil in the pan, then I add in the onion and saute until soft (3-4 minutes). Then I add in the garlic, rosemary and rice, and saute until the rice is just starting to brown a LITTLE (this adds nuttiness). Then I begin ladling in the warm liquids. You ladle in a ladle or two, and then stir that until all of the liquid is absorbed. Repeat. A lot. It takes around 22 minutes.

While it's cooking, and I'm stirring, I usually brown some chicken in a separate skillet, and then shred it once its fully cooked.

Once you have incorporated all the liquid into the rice, pull out the large rosemary sprig, the big pieces of garlic, and add in the Parmesan cheese. If you like Parmesan, add a lot, if you're not crazy about it, add a little. DO NOT SALT until this point. Taste it, and then if it needs salt, add it. I highly, HIGHLY recommend a low sodium chicken broth.

Add in the chicken, stir to incorporate, and add pepper as necessary. Super easy, creamy, and totally yummy!