As many of you know, most of my inspiration for this blog comes from my addiction (in a good way) to the show Chopped. This week is no exception as the episode I was listening to as I drifted to sleep (yes I fall asleep to reruns on the Food Network). What I woke up thinking about was how many times I have heard the judges discuss how hard it is to make rice on this show, never mind make the perfect risotto. I think it was Scott Conant I once heard talk about how many people have bad risottos. While it may be difficult to master, Bon Appetit magazine has identified as one of their favorite rice based dishes. They said the perfect “risotto is rich without being heavy, with al dente rice, a rainbow of seasonal vegetables, a shower of fresh herbs, all christened with a blanket of Parmesan.”[1] They did agree with the Chopped judges “it’s not always done right. In fact, it’s actually pretty easy to screw up.”[2]
One of the problems people encounter in preparing risotto is that they are not familiar with their rice. You cannot make risotto out of any kind of rice, preferably you should you one that has a round and short grain. However, one should also remember that each type of race has its own absorption of fluid volume. For example, some might be able to absorb 1.5 times their volume in fluid, others more or less. So it is important to know your rice and what it can absorb. For example, Vialone Nano, which is the preferred rice of the Veneto region, “can absorb twice its weight in liquid. With a starch content almost as high as carnaroli's, it also produces a very creamy risotto.”{cke_protected_1}[3]{cke_protected_2} Carnaroli “is the preferred risotto rice in most regions of Italy except the Veneto. It's said to produce the creamiest risotto, yet it's more resistant to overcooking than Arborio.”{cke_protected_3}[4]{cke_protected_4} Arborio is the rice most often used to make risotto. It “is typically wider and longer than carnaroli or vialone nano. It's not as starchy and it absorbs liquid a little less well.”[5] Two other rices, which are used in making risotto, are Baldo and Calriso, both of which are similar to the popular Arborio. However, the Baldo is quicker cooking and Calriso expands a bit more then the Arborio. Each one has its own distinct qualities and absorption and expansion rates. So one must take the time to get to know the rice they are using.
Preparing the perfect risotto is like allowing ourselves to grow and evolve in our spiritual journey. There are a number of “rices” in the world, which we can use and allow to sauté in the olive oil before adding our wine and stock. Some of us may be most comfortable drawing on the “rice” which is easy to access and others of us will find ourselves going to specialty shops to find the perfect “rice” for our “risotto.” Each spiritual tool and faith tradition has its own qualities, each having its own qualities. For some, “Arborio” may provide one with the right amount of space to grow and evolve spiritually. For others, they may require rice, which is less heard of, like Vialone Nano, which will allow one to absorb and expand at a greater volume. All are good “rices,” but they are not all right for the same people.
The second mistake people tend to make is that they forget to bring all things to the same temperature. So if you add cold wine or stock to a hot pain it slows down and impairs the cooking process. It is advised that you warm up your wine and your stock before adding it to your rice. This way everything cooks evenly.[6]
In order, for us to grow and evolve in a positive and consistent manner we must surround ourselves with like-minded people. Surrounding ourselves with those who are not journeying and evolving at the same pace or even the same direction as one is, can slow down our process or, at least, limit our ability to share what we are experiencing and learning in a supportive environment.
Bon Appetit gave a few other pieces of helpful advice to help one prepare the perfect risotto. One is to not over or under stir your rice. As you get to know the rice you are working with, you will know how much or how little to stir it. Add your stock slowly, so the grains of rice have a chance to dance and grind with each other, creating this starchy sauce. Think about rice, as if it were a past and cook it until it is al dente. Use the right size pot; it should be the same size as your burner. Simmer it at a medium throughout the cooking process. As with the broths, add your already cooked and warm vegetables to the risotto. Finally, if you are going to add anything like mascarpone or parmesan do that towards the end to prevent the fat from breaking under the heat.
Each of these is important to our spiritual growth as well. Sometimes we need to just sit with what we have learned, ingest it, and allow it to become a part of our lives. We need to add the “stock” to our risotto slowly so we have the time to absorb it and not experience spiritual indigestion. We need to find or create the right environment for us to grow and evolve spiritually, adding things that are going to support our development because they are at the right temperature. We also need to remember to be patient and not add things before their time and we are ready for them.
Making the perfect risotto is not impossible, but it does require us to slow down, evolve, and grow at our own pace, in the right environment and surrounding by a supportive environment. May we all work at creating the perfect risottos in our lives.