So there I was eating at Downtown HiSAM when two girlfriends sitting next to me brought up the subject of cheating risotto, and of course, I had to eavesdrop. (They were sitting ten inches away from me, so how could I not?) American home cooks are probably not inclined to baby a pot of rice for twenty-plus minutes, so shortcuts are understandable. Following a less forgivable suggestion of Crock-Pot risotto was making the rice in a rice cooker ahead of time, cooling it, and stirring in the rest of the ingredients while reheating.
My tip, which I was characteristically too shy to proclaim audibly, is to add a splash of cream to the rice at the end of cooking. The amylopectin that surrounds each grain (provided you're using serious risotto rice) and melts away to create that natural creamy texture we all cherish is generally not released much in the rice cooker, so just a bit of cream will combine with any residual starches and help everything adhere better to each other.
Itch scratched.
I was perusing your "someday" restaurant list. May I add a few sugggestions:
August Restaurant (NY)- Tony Liu, local boy, former sous chef of babbo, alumni of lespinasse, daniel, Martin Beratesigui. Tiny west village restaurant that every chef goes to on their day off. Simply one of the best cooks in the city, bar none. Hope he brings his talents back home oneday.
Manresa Restaurant (Los Gatos, CA)- 2 Star michelin. Biodynamic garden. Similar to the food of Alain Passard at L'arpege. One of the best 6 hour meals I have had! Probably my next stop after Per se.
Boulevard (Sf). The chef de cuisine, Ravi is a kailua boy. Been with Nancy Oakes for years. Support local!
Joel Robuchon at the Mansion (LV)- 21 Courses, 42 petit fours, 32 breads, 4 half bottles, chateau y'quem, ice cream giradon, private room, meeting the chef. Simply the best meal I have ever had. It will be Vegas first 3 star.
Guy Savoy (LV)- The famous "Artichoke Soup with Black Truffle served with Mushroom Brioche a tete and Black truffle butter". Need I say more. My dad and I were speechless.
Tetsuya's (Sydney)- My idol. I have had the opportunity of executing three dinners with him. The most precise chef I have seen. This is fusion at the very best. This is a chef who is in his restaurant daily.
Happy eating! I hope you hit many of these.
Posted by: Chris | October 14, 2007 at 05:43 AM
I'm just the messenger....
From Rocco DiSpirito's Top Chef Blog:
http://www.bravotv.com/blog/roccodispirito/2007/08/risotto_nono.php?page=8
"It is repugnant to put cream in a risotto. Tom [Colicchio] said the “cream” comes from the rice--he’s right, and here’s how: The dish called risotto is made from a very starchy rice called either Arborio, Vialone Nanno, or Carnaroli. Each has their distinct qualities but all produce a dish that’s creamy and velvety yet tender to the bite. Amylase is the starch in risotto rice that breaks down during cooking by absorbing the flavored liquid you add to it. The process of slow cooking while constantly stirring is what gives the dish its texture. The key is the absorption. It is scientifically impossible for molecules of starch to absorb molecules of fat. That is why cream is an asinine addition."
Posted by: Paul | October 23, 2007 at 12:03 AM