Risotto is a wonderful comfort food dish. The ingredients may already be in your pantry and fridge. Make it your own: Top with chicken, seared scallops, shrimp or even sliced chicken sausage for a satisfying main course. This recipe doubles for four, it will take longer to cook.
Place chicken broth in a small saucepan and bring to a bare simmer. Crush the saffron into the pan and allow it to release its flavor and golden color into the broth.
Place a medium saucepan with sloping sides (easier to stir than a straight sided pan) over medium heat. Heat olive oil then add onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and cook another 60 seconds.
Add the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the rice is coated with the oil. Add the wine and cook until it is almost gone. Season with a little salt.
Begin adding the hot broth about a ¼ cup or so at a time, stirring the risotto gently with the wooden spoon until the broth is absorbed. Do again with more broth, stirring until almost absorbed. Add more broth when you can draw your spoon through the rice and it holds a line. Repeat until most of the broth is incorporated but you may not use all 3 cups. Towards then end, taste it for texture. The rice should be al dente, soft to the bite. You will feel when it is done. It takes about 20-25 minutes. Season with any additional salt and pepper if desired.
Notes
About a good pan for making risotto (and sauces). The best pan has sloped sides making it easy to stir the rice. It's called a saucier. It's a terrific pan to have in your collection, If you don't have such a pan, be sure as you stir your risotto to get into the outer edges of the pan so the grains of rice do not stick. VariationsIf you are not a pea fan, use sliced, cooked asparagus. To make it vegetarian or vegan, use homemade vegetable broth and skip the cheese.