Recipe: Risotto with white truffles
240g Italian short-grain rice
Two shallots
50g of bone marrow (optional)
50 g grated parmesan
10 cl dry white wine
1.5 liters of chicken stock
50g of butter
5 cl whipped cream
10cl of olive oil
Salt
Espelette pepper
White truffles:
5g or more per person
There are three essential rules for a perfect risotto:
1. The choice of rice. It must be round and of Italian origin – Carnaroli, Vialone Nanno, Arborio. The one Darroze prefers is the Acquerello organic grain risotto rice. Do not wash it before putting it in the pan, otherwise it will withdraw its starch, which Darroze says is indispensable to the final result of the risotto.
2. Always use a wooden spoon.
3. The quality of the broth to be used for cooking risotto. If you choose to cook a risotto with shellfish, use fish stock. For a risotto with mushrooms, vegetables or meat, use chicken or a simple vegetable broth.
To make the risotto, finely chop the shallots, cut the bone marrow in small dices and grate the Parmesan Reggiano.
Pour the olive oil in a pan with the bone marrow. Add the shallots. Cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, for about four minutes or until the shallot is soft and translucent.
Stir in the rice and cook, stirring frequently, for about five minutes or until the rice is almost chalky in colour and glistening.
Add the white wine and cook, stirring constantly, for about five minutes or until the wine has been absorbed by the rice.
Begin adding the chicken stock, about one cup at a time, and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
Do not add additional stock until the previous cup has been absorbed. Keep adding stock and stirring until the rice is al dente. After 20 minutes there shouldn’t be any stock left.
Now add the butter and parmesan while still stirring. When everything has been absorbed, season with salt, Espelette pepper and some olive oil.
Serve the risotto all’onda, that is to say slightly liquid and smooth. To this, add at the last moment the whipped cream. Serve the risotto into bowls and grate the white truffles over it. Serve immediately.
Tip: Store white truffles in rice with which you can later cook the risotto. The rice will taste the truffles.
Left, Olive wood Alessi truffle slicer,
£45, www.alessi.com