Basic Risotto

The red meat on top is panchetta
- it just looks odd in the picture!

I like rice, we eat quite a lot of paella as Mr Gingerbread is Spanish, however, you can get too much of a good thing. Risotto is a great alternative option for a change. The only downside is you have to 'babysit' it to get it to turn out properly - quite unusually for me this is 'hands on' not chuck it in a big pot and leave it recipe.
It seems to turn out well with different flavorings - we especially like mushroom or seafood with chili. Its a good use for left over white wine. Serves 4 or 3 hungry people.

Ingredients
50g dried mushrooms or some seafood
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
250g pack chestnut mushrooms, sliced and washed or seafood or vegetables
300g risotto rice,
1 x 175ml glass white wine
25g butter
Handful parsley leaves, chopped - lovely but not essential
50g Parmesan or grana padano - grated. The dried version would be fine too

Method

1. Fry the onion until soft but not brown and set one side
2. Coat the rice in olive oil and toast in the warmed pan until its translucent
3. Add the wine and leave it to absorb into the rice on a medium heat
4. In the meantime soak the dried mushrooms in hot water / steam your vegetables / cook your seafood
5. Add the stock cube to the cooking liquor
6. Add the cooking liquor to the rice a few ladles at a time and let it absorb - sort of in quarters of the liquid. Keep stirring the rice to encourage it to release the starch.
7. When the rice  is cooked but firm add the onions and main flavoring and mix and continue to cook until its a consistency you are happy with
8. Turn off the heat, sprinkle a little cheese on the top and let sit for a few minutes 
9. Serve and top with fresh parsely and the grana padano cheese