Anyone facing an occasional dinner for one, making solo brown-bag lunches, or living alone will find Toni Lydecker's Serves One invaluable. She shows you how to make tabbouleh and ratatouille in modest amounts so you don't have to eat them for days. She even gives a recipe for pizza dough you can turn into perfect, single-size pies. Who needs soggy take-out when you can make your own potato and pesto pizza
The risotto I make for myself seems to come out a little better than the same recipe made for several people. Indeed, it is worth noting that the best Italian restaurants cook risotto to order, one or two portions at a time.
Risotto has the reputation of being time-consuming, but it's not, particularly. You do need to stir it often, but not constantly. Take the opportunity, while keeping an eye on the risotto, to make a salad and pour yourself a glass of wine.
Makes 1 serving
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
1 1/2 cups chicken, beef or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot or onion
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
3/4 cup cleaned, chopped shiitakes, or other mushrooms
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme, or leaves of 1 sprig
Salt (omit if the broth contains salt)
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup Arborio or other short-grained Italian rice
2 tablespoons dry white vermouth
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan
Bring the broth to a simmer, over low heat, in a small saucepan.
Heat the olive oil and half of the butter in a small skillet (about 8 inches across) over medium heat.
Cook the shallot and garlic until translucent but not browned. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they soften and reduce in size. Season with thyme, salt (if using), and black pepper. Add the remaining teaspoon of butter, and, when it sizzles, stir in the rice. Cook a minute or two, continuing to stir, until the grains are well coated.
Add the vermouth, and when most of it has evaporated, ladle on enough warm broth to barely cover the rice. After that has been absorbed, stir in more broth, a little at a time. Continue stirring in broth, a little at a time, until the rice is cooked through but still slightly firm to the bite. Remove from the heat and stir in a little more broth for the risotto to "drink' while resting about 5 minutes.
Stir in the parsley and grate a little Parmesan over the risotto.
Cook's Note
The correct heat level is very important to success in making risotto. If the burner is too hot, the rice will cook unevenly; too slow, and it may turn gummy. I use a medium setting throughout the cooking, which is hot enough both to saute the vegetables and to keep the risotto at a brisk (but not furious!) simmer once liquids are added.
