Ro-Tel risotto

I got this incredible recipe from Laura at Fixin’ Supper.

I don’t think I’ve actually made risotto before; I’ve wanted to after seeing a million different TV chefs make their own versions. It is, I must warn you, labor-intensive. You are stirring rice in a stock pot, adding a half a cup of liquid at a time, and stirring and stirring until each batch of liquid is absorbed until you can add the next batch.

But the process — and the use of short-grain arborio rice, which gives up much more starch than its long-grain, never-sticks, perfect-every-time cousin — creates a silky, lip-smacking sauce, and the cooking method also tends to evaporate, and thus concentrate, the flavors of the chicken stock and white wine that you use for your cooking liquid. This particular recipe ups the ante with cream-style corn, Ro-Tel tomatoes and (instead of the parmesan cheese favored in Italian recipes) Kraft Old English cheese spread, the kind that comes in a little jelly jar.

The only comment I would have is that adding the Ro-Tel, corn and wine all at once, as the recipe seems to call for, gave a little too much liquid, and I had to turn the heat up as a result. The next time, I think I may add each one separately and let the mixture tighten up before the next ingredient, just as if each were a separate ladle of chicken stock.

But, man, oh man, this stuff is good.

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  • WOW!
    This recipe spoke to me. I love labor-intensive foods as they taste that much better after the investment of sweat and sore muscles. Kind of like how divinity is so very good after all the arm-wrenching stirring.

    I agree with what you said about doing the other ingredients separately so as to avoid the high amounts of liquids. I'd suggesting adding the most pungent ingredient last as to make it closest to its original taste and sizzle. For me, that would be the Rotel! Thanks again...copied and pasted already to a "things to try soon" recipe file.
  • Thanks to one of your previous hat-tips to Laura, I Google Reader'd her and saw that recipe myself. I immediately decided I wanted to try it...but I haven't even been to the store yet! So it's good, then?
    Wanna play Scrabulous again?
  • Hey, thanks for the props!! I'm so glad you liked it. :)
  • leosatter
    Celebrity Foods, but I wanna get others I can try out. Do you know of any? The main thing I’ve ordered so far is steak. I guess you can say, I’m a steak junkie. LOL!!! From what I have found out (from what I have ordered so far) I think I am able to regulate the quality of beef I buy. I hate going to a store and getting that crappy slab of beef that I have to cut down until there is like nothing left. Hahaha!!!! (its so true though) Anyhow, sorry that I made this comment so long. If you can help me out or point me in a direction where I might find more quality foods online, I would greatly appreciate it. Have a good day or night! (depending on when you read this) LOL!!!!
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