Cooking Risotto
Risotto comes from the Italian word for rice, riso, and refers to a particular rice-cooking technique. Classically, risotto is made with Arborio rice, a short-grained white rice with a very special quality. When simmered slowly and stirred while cooking, it releases good quantities of starch that gives a creamy texture instead of distinct rice grains.

But I apply the technique to a variey of different ingredients and call the resulting dishes "risotto". The technique involves adding stock in small amounts, and cooking and stirring until the liquid has been absorbed before adding the next addition.

To make risotto with other types of rice or even with barley or potatoes, I've discovered that adding Arborio rice flour (that's just arborio rice pulverized to a fine powder in a blender and the base for my Arborio rice coating that I use for deep-frying) for the last few minutes of cooking, gives the creamy texture you want in a risotto.

Risotto is all about building flavors, one on top of another. It usually begins with sautéing onions lightly without browning them. Then the rice goes in. It's important to sauté the rice for a minute or two in order to envelop it with the olive oil flavor. When you see the rice begin to pearl up — you will see the center of the grain turning color — you're ready to add liquid, starting with wine, if you're using it.

Cook the rice with the wine at a slow simmer, stirring all the while, until the pan is nearly dry. Continue to stir and add simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, as each addition is absorbed. Season after the first addition of stock so that the seasoning permeates the rice. When rice is tender but still has a little more liquid than you want in the finished product, add the remaining flavors — vegetables, meats, herbs, cheese — according to your recipe.

I like to finish risotto with a chunk of butter and some fresh herbs. Once I turn off the stove, I add the cheese; this way the cheese melts slowly and the fat doesn't separate out from the cheese.