I love making risotto.  It’s as simple as that.  The act of making this recipe has a soothing familiarity to it that is very relaxing, plus Mike and I both almost always have seconds so it’s a popular dish in this apartment.  Risotto can be made for any taste, with any number of ingredients.  I typically make this dish in the fall and winter, but this past rainy weekend had Mike and I craving something hearty.  It has a wonderful warming quality about it that will shake away any rainy weather blues.  You can really use any protein or vegetables you want to, but this time around I used short rib, peppers and mushrooms to flavor this particular risotto.  It’s a fairly simple recipe that takes a little bit of knife-work, a lot of stirring and a little patience to pull off.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup red and green peppers, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup bella mushrooms, chopped
• 1 lb short rib, sliced into 1/2 inch squares
• 3 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• Salt, Pepper and Oregano to taste

And here’s how you’ll combine them:

1. First and foremost, pour yourself a glass of that wine.  You have a whole bottle and you only need 1/2 a cup of it for the food.
2. Chop your vegetables, separating the onions and garlic from the peppers and mushrooms
3. Slice the short rib to cook separately
4. Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot
5. Add in onions and garlic to sweat
6. Add in rice
7. Add in peppers and mushrooms and saute
8. Start adding in liquids, 1 cup at a time and stir continuously
9. Season as needed with each addition
10. In a separate pan, saute short rib in a tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper
11. When there is only a cup of broth/wine left to add, add in the cooked meat
12. Stir in the parmesan cheese
13. Cook off the rest of the liquid and continue stirring, rice should be tender but not chewy
14. Enjoy!

Try it out and tell me what you think!

Have you ever made risotto before?  What is your favorite kind to make?