Taleggio & Thyme Risotto
The coziest, warmest, wintriest bowl of risotto you ever did see.
For reasons unknown, I had never made risotto at home until this year. Maybe it was too many episodes of Top Chef, watching Tommy C roll his eyes at every single contestant's attempt at making the illusive dish. Was it creamy enough? Did it "spread" when poured into a warm bowl? Was it even cooked all the way?
https://twitter.com/tomcolicchio/status/410970919155535872?lang=en
Watching contestant after contestant pack their knives and go after making the dish kinda made me think perhaps it was best left to the professionals. After all even they apparently are awful at it. Then I realized that was stupid. I make croissants for fun! I love pain the ass cooking. Certainly I could stir up a rice dish for my family. Tom Colicchio is not going to pop into my kitchen and critique the dish! Pack my knives and go? Where? I'm already home Tom. Certainly I can make risotto. Plus, if it sucks, there's always arancini.
The star of this risotto is one of my favorite cheeses: Taleggio. Soft, kinda stinky but oh so delicious, it's earthy and and nutty and is essentially a knit scarf you can.....eat? All that to say, it's cozy AF and will warm you up to the bones. Make this on a snowy weekend, have no regrets, eat it in front of a fire, curled in a blanket. Have all the hygge feels. You know what to do.
Taleggio & Thyme Risotto
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 C low-sodium chicken broth
1 small yellow onion, minced
1.5 C arborio or Carnaroli rice (I prefer Carnaroli, it has more starch, and structure when cooked)
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
6 oz chilled Taleggio cheese, rind removed, cut into small chunks
2 Tbsp unsaled butter
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/3 C grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tsp Meyer lemon zest
Method
Add chicken broth to saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to maintain a low simmer. Heat oven to its lowest heat setting (or "warm" if you have it) and put your serving bowls on the rack.
In a medium saucepan or dutch oven (I used my favorite 4 qt Staub Round Cocotte), add the olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook stirring occasionally until they are translucent but not browning. Add the rice and stir constantly until the edges of the rice are translucent, another 5 or so minutes.
Add a ladle full (about one cup) of hot broth to the rice and stir vigorously. Constant stirring releases the starch and makes for that creamy texture we are going for. Once the rice has absorbed the liquid, add another ladleful. Stir vigorously after each addition of stock and repeat the process of stock, stir, stock stir, until the rice graines are opaque and firm but "al-dente", about 15-20 minutes (I like to set a kitchen timer when I start because when you are stirring for 20 minutes, it feels like much longer, so that keeps me honest). You may not need to add all of the liquid, or you might need to add more. If you run out of stock, add hot water.
Once the rice is tender (do a taste test!), stir in salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Add Taleggio, butter and thyme and stir until the cheese and butter have just melted. Add two tablespoons of parm and lemon zest and stir to mix.
Divide risotto among warmed bowls, sprinkle with more parm and fresh cracked pepper. Serve. Enjoy.