The Best EVER Risotto Recipe

Steps

1. 1Place large saucepan on stovetop over high heat. Add 5 cups chicken stock to saucepan and bring liquid to rolling boil. Once stock begins to boil, immediately reduce heat under saucepan to low. Note: keep saucepan of stock warm over low heat throughout entire process.
2. 2Transfer 1 ladle (approximately ½ to ¾ cup) of chicken stock to small bowl. Add 1 pinch saffron threads to reserved stock and set bowl aside.
3. 3Place second saucepan on stovetop over high heat. When saucepan is warm, add 4 tablespoons butter and allow butter to melt completely, tilting and swirling saucepan as needed to distribute butter.
4. 4Once butter has melted and begins to foam, add 1 cup finely chopped white onion and stir to incorporate onion into melted butter. Sauté onion 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. 5When onions begin to soften, add 2 cloves garlic and stir to incorporated. Continue sautéing until onions and garlic have softened, approximately 1 minute. Note: do not brown onions or garlic.
6. 6Add 1 ½ cups dry risotto rice to saucepan with onions. Cook rice 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until rice appears golden and translucent.
7. 7When rice is ready, pour in ½ cup dry white wine and stir to incorporate, making sure to scrape up any bits of onion, garlic, or rice that may have stuck to bottom of saucepan.
8. 8After deglazing saucepan, reduce heat under saucepan to low and allow mixture to simmer until liquid in saucepan is mostly reduced.
9. 9Once liquid has reduced, add 1 ladle of warm stock from saucepan, entire bowl of saffron-infused stock, 1 teaspoon salt, and freshly cracked black pepper to rice mixture. Gently stir ingredients together until liquid has been fully absorbed into rice.
10. 10Continue adding warm stock in small increments, stirring after each addition until rice has completely absorbed liquid before adding more. Stir mixture constantly until all stock has been added to rice and fully absorbed. Once all stock has been added and fully absorbed, risotto should be golden and creamy, with tender (not mushy) rice. Note: process can take 20 to 25 minutes. Do not rush!
11. 11Remove saucepan from heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and ⅔ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese and gently stir mixture until butter has melted completely.
12. 12Taste risotto and adjust salt and pepper as desired. Divide risotto evenly between serving plates (or bowls), top with remaining ⅓ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, and serve hot.