Risotto

"Do not attempt this at home" is what most home cooks think when they think about making risotto at home. But with Maxine Clark's Risotto: a compendium of 60 risotto recipes, you won't hesitate to tackle this comfort food in your own kitchen. Risotto is a dish that is often associated with fancy high-end restaurants, but really, it's the epitome of Italian home cooking and comfort food. I Different regions of Italy have their own classic rice dishes, from the soupy Rice and Peas of the Veneto to the Hunter's-style Rabbit Risotto of Umbria and Tuscany, but what they all have in common is the careful cooking of the rice to perfection. Maxine presents a huge variety of risotto dishes, from vegetarian bowls and meals packed full of warming cheese and butter, to recipes using fish and shellfish. She also invites you to enjoy some meaty options, which include an easy-to-rustle-up Ham and Leek Risotto that the whole family can enjoy and an Pheasant and Red Wine Risotto that will impress your guests. There are even a few ideas for using up leftover risotto, such as Arancini or Rice Croquettes with Tomato Sauce. With useful recipes for various stocks, easy-to-follow instructions for making a basic risotto and a guide to the different kinds of rice available, this is a complete guide to risotto for all lovers of the classic Italian dish.

Risotto By Maxine Clark. Published by Ryland Peters & Small. Paper over board. 160 pages.