Risotto

blue bowl with risotto and a spoon in it

This recipe used to be a family secret. Not necessarily because it was closely guarded, but because my Granny was the chef and she never measured anything. (And frequently never made it the exact same way twice.) After my Granny passed away, my cousin and I persuaded my mother to actually write down how to make the coveted family risotto, and list precisely what should go in the pot. (My mom cooks in the same fashion as her mother and never measures anything either!)

Thankfully, we persisted because my cousin and I do not possess the fabulous cooking skills the rest of the family has, and we need explicit measurements and step by step directions, ha. And thanks to my mom, I’m now sharing this recipe that tastes very nearly like my Italian granny made it.

I hope you enjoy! It’s truly one of my all-time favorite meals. I highly recommend eating it with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top and a side of buttered French bread. (OMG, yum!!)

Ingredients:

12 cups of water
4-5 chicken tenders
1/2 large onion
8-10 petite carrots
2-3 celery stalks
3-4 tsp. of chicken bouillon
1/2 tsp. sweet basil
1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. oregano
“Smidgeon” of allspice (less than 1/8 tsp.)
1 1/2 cups Bertolli spaghetti sauce (Organic Traditional Tomato & Basil)
1 tsp. beef soup base
1 1/3 cup of rice

Directions:

First, fill a Dutch oven with 12 cups of water. Then, add chicken tenders (or thighs) and boil for about 10 minutes, or until scum can be skimmed off the top with slotted spoon. Next, add onion, carrots, and celery, and chicken bouillon/soup base (to taste; some brands are saltier than others).

Simmer until chicken and veggies are cooked and then remove all ingredients and set on a plate (leaving the water in the pot). Smash veggies with a fork, and throw away the celery strings. Then, return the mushy veggie remains to the water. Next, chop and return as much of the cooked chicken as desired. (If you don’t want the risotto particularly meaty, you can hold out some of the chicken for another meal, but it’s necessary to use the initial amount to flavor the juice.)

Next, combine the following ingredients with the chicken and veggies: sweet basil, parsley flakes, minced garlic, oregano, “smidgeon” of allspice, Bertolli sauce, and beef soup base, and simmer for approximately 45 minutes. Last, add 1 1/3 cups of rice (or less if you prefer it more soup-like), and simmer all ingredients for about 20 minutes until rice is cooked. Enjoy!

PS: For my family members who might be reading this, Granny actually used her famous spaghetti sauce and not Bertolli…

PPS: You might find it humors to know that I actually had to rewrite the recipe my mom initially created because it wasn’t quite clear enough for me, and I had to consult her several times to make sure I properly understood both the ingredients and directions. (I’ve only seen her make risotto at least a hundred times…) I also had to ask what the hell a Dutch oven was, haha. (It’s basically a huge pot, incase you’re wondering too.)

🙂