Our New Favorite Dish... Risotto!
In December, Darrell and I traveled to New York City for New Year’s Eve. We spent a few days in the city and one night we ate dinner at Risotteria Melotti NYC, a cozy Italian restaurant. The family-owned restaurant was known for its risotto dishes and their first location is actually in Italy!
The tiny restaurant was warm and packed with families, couples and groups of friends. The reservation app we had used to reserve a table had asked what the occasion for our reservation would be and we had selected “date night.” The restaurant staff picked a corner table with a flower in a petite vase, perfect for our romantic “dress up” dinner of the trip. When I say this place was tiny, I mean we had to move the table and squeeze behind seated guests to make our way back to the corner table set for two!
Risotteria Melotti NYC is a 100% gluten free restaurant which was one of the initial reasons we chose to add it to our trip itinerary. I ordered the Radicchio, Gorgonzola e Noci and Darrell kind of made his own meal, to which the server and kitchen staff were very accommodating. He ordered the Pollo Bacon and Asparagi with shrimp instead of chicken and he asked for the chicken broth to be substituted for one of their alternative broth options. So Darrell’s was what you can probably infer: risotto with shrimp, bacon, asparagus, and some lovely cheese. My Radicchio, Gorgonzola e Noci consisted of risotto with red chicory, walnuts, gorgonzola cheese and some other great cheese.
Y’all. Both of our selections were IN-CRED-IBLE!!! Like I wish they’d open up a restaurant in Kentucky. Although, I’d probably consume way too much risotto if that were the case. We hadn’t even left the restaurant before we had decided we HAD to find out how to make this at home.
I have tried a couple of different risotto recipes now and this has by far been the best recipe to yield quality results. I am finally mastering your standard risotto and I’m excited to expand into some of the different risotto dishes I’ve found online and seen in restaurants. However, even just your basic risotto is delicious, so beware.
I had heard this wasn’t an easy dish to cook at home and mainly because it takes patience, but I read several recipes before I found a site that really broke down the process, step by step, with help for those of us like myself, who need specific details and reassurance throughout the cooking process. This is the first recipe I’ve tried from The Kitchn but it certainly won’t be my last. Emma, the author of the post/recipe I used, does a great job of explaining why each step is to be handled with care and I honestly kind of felt like I had just attended a cooking class after studying the post and trying the recipe!
You can find the recipe for standard risotto here. Below, I’ve outlined my tips and suggestions.
I cut this recipe in half and it’s still plenty for just Darrell and I. So if you’re cooking for less than four, cutting the recipe down is probably in your best interest.
Arborio rice was my best option at the grocery of the suggested types of rice to use. We love it! Although, I’m on the lookout for carnaroli, as I would like to compare the two types - both in how they cook and if there’s a taste or texture difference.
I use Swanson Vegetable Broth instead of chicken broth because of Darrell’s poultry allergy.
Tip for gluten intolerant or celiac followers: READ THE BACK OF YOUR VEGETABLE BROTH. I’ve told y’all before and I’ll keep telling ya, gluten is coming for ya everywhere you turn! Strangely enough, some vegetable broth options in the grocery store had labels including “contains wheat” or “may contain wheat,” so be careful!
Don’t stop stirring! You’ll understand why when you read the recipe. ;)
Having all your ingredients prepped and nearby will make this much easier.
I’ve included photos of the risotto we’ve cooked at home, featuring a variety of sides. Although we have yet to venture from shrimp as a part of this meal… We just really like shrimp, okay?!
*The shrimp is cooked in a skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, minced garlic and a splash of lemon juice. Simple enough, right?
