Description: A dish so big on flavour that Sauron would want to control it!

Submitted by: Wulf_Sternhammer on 2004-04-13 08:08:23

Serves: 4 to 6 as main and 10 to 12 as entree

Prep Time: Nage needs to be prepared 24 hours in advance. Ri

Difficulty: Intermediate

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Ingredients

Nage stock:
Carrot
Onion
Celery
Broccoli stalks
Cauliflower stalks
Roughly equal amounts of the above
Whole black peppercorns- 1/2 tsp per litre of water
Garlic- 1 clove per litre of water
Fresh herbs- heaps, loads great handfulls, at least as much herbs as vegies. I use parsley (the flat leaf variety preferred), marjoram, thyme, sage, oregano, rosemary, chives, basil, savoury, and bay leaves.

For the Risotto:
Arborio rice x 3 cups
Nage stock x 3 litres
Onions x 2 large (1 diced, 1 in strips)
Mushrooms (5cm or 2"button type) sliced x 1 doz
Cracked black peppercorns x 1 tbs (more if you like it hot)
Parmesan cheese (shredded) x 1 cup
Olive oil (extra virgin) x 1/2 cup
salt to taste.


Instructions

For the Nage:
Place all ingredients into a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil, and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 24 hours. Drain and use or portion and freeze. Keeps in refridgerator for about a week.

For the Risotto:
A good risotto is made in 2 parts. Bring stock to the boil a pot and keep at a gentle simmer. Heat a little over half the oil in a large pot, then saute off the diced onion. Add the dry rice and stir in for several minutes, until the rice just starts to colour. Add 2 to 3 ladles of hot stock and stir. As the rice absorbs the stock add more, 1 ladle at a time. Continue this process, regularly checking the rice. When the rice is just cooked(a slight firmness when bitten), remove from the heat and allow to stand. At this point it should only be a little wet, somewhere between soup and a claggy paste. Spread out on a tray and cool in the fridge. This should have taken between 2 and 2 1/2 litres of stock.
In another large pot, heat the remaining oil and saute off the sliced onion until translucent then add the mushrooms and cracked black peppercorns. I use the button type because they remain firmer when cooked, and I like them to be about 5cm (2") in diameter as that is a good size for presentation. The slices should be about 5mm (1/5") thick. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes then add a cup of the remaining stock. Bring up to the boil then add the now cool rice mix. Continue to heat, adding stock as required, til it is hot and has the consistency of thick soup. Add the parmesan cheese and salt to season. Serve in a bowl, garnished with snow pea shoots and julienne of red capsicum. A heavily wooded chardonay compliments this dish and helps to balance the palate. (Oops, I'm writing menus again).
Enjoy!
Note:
Saute means to lightly fry until just translucent.
Julienne means to cut into small lengths the size of matchsticks.