Sign up to IndyEat’s free newsletter for weekly recipes, foodie features and cookbook releasesGet our food and drink newsletter for freeGet our food and drink newsletter for freeWhen it comes to comfort food, few dishes can rival a well-made risotto. Creamy, indulgent and endlessly adaptable, it’s a recipe that rewards patience – but with a few clever tweaks, even weeknight cooks can achieve restaurant-worthy results. This National Rice Week (8–14 September), the Rice Association is sharing its top five tips to help you perfect the art of risotto. Start with a sizzle: fry the rice in butter or olive oil to build flavour and help the grains keep their bite. Use good, hot stock: cold stock can damage the rice kernels; hot stock deepens the flavour. Add stock smartly: forget the myth of constant stirring – you can add most of it early on, then top up gradually in the last few minutes. Finish with parmesan and more stock: stir in cheese, then loosen with a final splash of stock for extra creaminess. Balance the richness: a drop of wine vinegar or lemon juice just before serving cuts through the fat beautifully. To put these tips into practice, they’ve shared two recipes designed to please both purists and shortcut-seekers alike. A classic prawn, pea and goat’s cheese risotto brings freshness and tang – perfect for a midweek supper or weekend entertaining. For a hands-off approach, baked mushroom risotto delivers all the creaminess without the stirring, making it ideal for cosy autumn evenings.So whether you’re a die-hard risotto stirrer or happy to let the oven do the work, these recipes prove there’s more than one way to master Italy’s most comforting dish.Prawn, pea and goat’s cheese risottoServes: 4Time: approx 30 minutesIngredients:2 tbsp olive oil1 onion, finely chopped (approx 150g)3 cloves garlic, minced200g Arborio rice (could also use Carnaroli rice)120ml dry white wine1.2L vegetable/seafood stock200g frozen prawns200g frozen peas100g goat’s cheese, crumbledMethod:In a large 30cm frying pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, for about 6 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the Arborio rice to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute until the rice is lightly toasted. Pour in the white wine and cook, stirring frequently, until the wine is absorbed by the rice. Begin adding the stock one ladle at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue this process for about 15-18 minutes until the rice is creamy and al dente. When the rice is nearly done, stir in the prawns and frozen peas. Cook for another 5 minutes, or until the prawns are pink and cooked through and the peas are tender. Stir in the crumbled goat cheese until melted and well combined. Season to taste. Remove from heat and let the risotto rest for a couple of minutes. Cook’s tip: This flavourful risotto is quite special, perfect for entertaining or a weekend dinner. The prawns could be swapped for chicken or butternut squash for a vegetarian option.Baked mushroom risottoopen image in galleryAll the creaminess, none of the stirring – earthy porcini and chestnut mushrooms make this oven-baked risotto a cold-weather classic (Rice Association)Serves: 4Prep time: 25 minutes | Cook time: 30-35 minutesIngredients:30g dried porcini mushrooms50g butter2 shallots, diced2 cloves garlic, finely chopped250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced250g Arborio risotto rice100ml dry sherry500ml vegetable stockTo serve: grated Parmigiano Reggiano and chopped parsleyMethod:Preheat the oven to 160C, gas mark 3.Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in 400ml boiling water for 15 minutes, drain and reserve the juice and chop.Melt the butter in a large frying pan and fry the shallots, garlic and both mushrooms for 3-4 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat in the buttery juices. Stir in the sherry and reduce by half, then add the stock and reserved porcini liquid. Bring to the boil and transfer to a casserole dish.Cover and bake for 30-35 minutes until the rice is tender, but there is still some free sauce. Serve scattered with cheese and parsley.Cook’s tip: Try adding some diced chorizo for extra flavour.
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How to make the perfect risotto: Five tips and two recipes to try
