Baked Risotto

Risotto is one of those things I never make.  Who has 45 minutes to stand around and stir rice?  Not me!  So I was excited to see this baked risotto at Cook's Country.  I was pleasantly surprised by the results and there is a ton of things you could do to make this recipe your own.  Adding sauteed asparagus or cooked broccoli or carrots.  As it was, the Parmesan cheese and parsley were perfect with the Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Meatloaf I made for dinner.

Some notes about this recipe.  I've made enough recipes from Cook's Country to know that every step has a purpose and will effect the finished dish, so I made this exactly as the recipe said.  At one point you need to cover the rice/broth with foil.  When you do this, don't let the foil hang out of the dutch oven, just roll the foil down so it is all inside your pot. 

This was really good, so give it a try!

Baked Risotto
10" dutch oven

5 cups low-sodium chicken broth (Yes, use low sodium or it will be too salty)
1/2 cup water
2 bay leaves
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 onion, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups Arborio rice (Not long grain or instant)
3 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used chicken broth)
1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

In a 10" dutch oven, bring the broth, water and bay leaves to simmer over a full spread of coals.  When almost boiling, put the lid on the pot and remove from the heat.

In another 10" dutch oven, melt the butter over a full spread of coals.  (You can use the same coals you used to heat the broth.)  Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook until lightly browned.  Stir in the rice and cook until the edges begin to turn translucent.  Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant.  Add the wine (or broth) and cook until completely absorbed.

Pour the warm broth over the rice.  Cover the dutch oven with a sheet of aluminum foil, making sure it rests on top of the broth.  Cover and bake at 400° until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.  Use 1 1/2 rings on top and 1 ring on the bottom.  Discard bay leaves.  Stir in Parmesan cheese and parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serves 6-8.

The Finished Product



The Review

This wasn't quite as creamy as other risotto I've had, but it was delish.  I'm going to have to experiment with it a little bit more, but the family thought it was a keeper.  It has nice flavor, but if you don't use low sodium broth it will be too salty by the time you add the Parmesan cheese.  I've made other baked risotto recipes, but this one has turned out the best so far.  I'll be making this again for sure.