FROM RICE TO RISOTTO

From Rice to Risotto

          Rice and beans have sustained early civilizations since rice was cultivated in Mesopotamia. Today rice and beans still are a staple diet of much of the world, though rice appears on our American tables less frequently. We are most likely to encounter steamed rice as a side dish or as substrate for a stir fry or ragù.

          Food etymology is fascinating and tells us much about the dispersal of rice, the third largest agricultural food commodity today, in the world. Rice came in 13^th century from the French ‘ris’, which in turn arrived from Italian ‘riso’, Latin ‘oriza’, and Greek ‘oruza’, as the Greeks were the original importers of rice to Europe. Cultivated rice is basically divided between the Asian (indica) and African rice. African rice was originally brought to America with the slave trade, but now is replaced here and worldwide with the indica varieties. Cultivated rice varieties are white, brown and red. American native wild rice is Zizania palustris, very different from the cultivated Oryza sp.

          Long grain rice seems to be most popular, since it’s high amylose content allows it to remain intact with good texture when cooked. Medium grain rice is more sticky and is favored in sushi, risotto and sweet dishes. Short grain rice makes a creamy delicious rice pudding. Nutritionally rice is comparable to corn and wheat and has five times the nutrient value per ounce as potatoes. However, rice does not contain Vitamin A, the lack of which can lead to blindness from diets solely dependent on rice.

          There are likely hundreds of rice dishes from various countries: pilafs, Cajun and Creole rice dishes, fried rice as well a Paella from Spain are some of those that have become more popular in recent years. One of my earliest forays in rice cooking came in my graduate student days, when time and money were definitely in short supply. Spanish rice was one of my quick one dish meals. Cooked rice from a previous meal allows for easy preparation of this dish for two.

                             Spanish Rice

           Quickly brown ½ lb. lean ground beef in a large skillet, pour off excess fat and set aside. In the same skillet sauté: 1 chopped medium onion and 1 chopped stalk of celery for 5 minutes. Stir in 1-2 tsp. chili powder and 6 oz. tomato sauce. Add back the ground beef and 2 cups of cooked long grain rice. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper and cook on low heat with stirring 5-10 min. until all the liquid is absorbed. Serve with a crisp salad. Note: in later years the recipe has improved by addition with the meat of a drained 4 oz can of mushrooms and ¼ cup sliced black olives.

          In Italy one can find risotto in almost every trattoria. It has been traditionally favored in the North including Veneto, proximal to the rice fields. Typically one thinks of Risotto alla Milanese. the delicately creamy risotto flavored with wine, saffron threads and fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. While I have never encountered the official version which also includes marrow from fresh veal bones, wild mushrooms can be a flavorful addition.

          Risotto can be a one dish meal. It is made with Arborio of Carnaroli medium grain rice, which cooked correctly will give a creamy taste with a slightly firm center of the grain. The only draw-back is the constant attention it requires while cooking. I recently adapted and simplified the recipe below from “The Italian Country Table” by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

                              Hearty Mediterranean Risotto

          Assemble and chop all the ingredients before proceeding at the stove. Set 5 cups of chicken or vegetable broth to simmer and keep warm  Chop: 1 medium onion, ½ medium carrot, 1 stalk celery, leaves from 3 stalks of celery or Italian parsley, 5 large mushrooms, 2 thick slices of bacon in large lardon size. Set aside: 1 ½ cups Arborio rice, ½ cup white wine, Provençal seasoning and ½ cup tomato juice. In a large pot heat 1 Tblsp olive oil and cook the bacon for 3-4 minutes while stirring, add all the vegetables , Provençal seasonings, salt and pepper to taste and continue to sauté for additional 5 minutes. Add the rice and continue to cook stirring for 3 minutes. Then add the wine. Set the timer for 20 minutes and continue to stir slowly for that time. When wine is absorbed add the tomato juice. Continue to cook on medium heat for the next 20 minutes, adding the broth in ½ cup measures, never allowing the mix to get soupy. You may not need all the broth.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 Tblsp butter and ½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Ladle in shallow soup dishes and serve hot.

          Making risotto may sound tedious, but the effort is definitely worth it, with endless possible variations. One of these days I will try to duplicate the risotto we once had in Padua, it was a lovely rose risotto made with red wine and porcini. Hmm…

         

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)