Risotto technique

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Risotto is a method, not a recipe. Short-grain rice — Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano — is toasted in fat, then cooked by gradual addition of hot stock while stirring. The mechanical action of stirring releases surface starch from the rice grains, which combines with the hot stock to create a creamy emulsion. The result is simultaneously creamy and al dente — each grain distinct and firm at its centre, bound together in a velvety sauce that the rice itself created. No cream is added to a properly made risotto. The creaminess comes from starch and fat, emulsified through technique. A properly plated risotto flows like lava — tap the plate and it should slowly spread. If it holds its shape, it's too thick. If it runs like water, it's too thin. That flowing consistency has a name: all'onda — 'like a wave.'

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