Author: My Little Brother
After cooking pastas for many many times, I thought I’d start exploring risottos for a change. The idea stroke me when I saw a bottle of white wine sitting on our house’s infamous “wine cabinet”. I want to try it out, and what’s a better excuse than saying I need it in my cooking right?
The bottle that drew my attention was a 2006 Rigamarole White. As I did some further research online later on, I found out it was produced by Mission Hill, and was purposely attributed to an imaginary winery! As I’m not a wine expert, you can read more of it from this article. All in all, I really enjoyed this bottle, it’s quite aromatic. I think I’ll go get another bottle if I need it for my risotto next time. 
Being my first time making risotto, I wanted to do everything right, that means getting all the proper ingredients. Therefore, I went out and got myself a bag of Arborio rice. After tasting it, I think I can use Japanese short grained rice next time instead. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I truly believe they’ll produce the same result, if not better with Japanese rice. If, however, I want to be full out authentic then I’d find myself either Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice next time.
I had made two different toppings for the risotto. First up is thyme and lemon chicken, since I bought a thyme plant yesterday. =) Next is a cilantro and basil shrimps. The risotto is the same for both.
Without further ado, here’s what I used for the Risotto:
2 cups of Arborio Rice
1 cup of Rigamarole White
1 litre of chicken stock
½ Diced white onion
Finely grated garlic
Finely chopped cilantro
Several sliced Portobello mushrooms
Olive oil
Butter
Pepper
As for the Stock, I also added in the bones from the chicken thighs and the shrimp shells. I’ve omitted the Parmesan because number 1, I ran out, and number 2, I read that it is usually omitted with seafood risotto. So I thought, shrimp – seafood? Close enough
For the Chicken thighs:
1 chicken leg, deboned and cut into strips
Garlic
Thyme
Lemon zest and juice
Chili flakes
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
For the Shrimps:
Shrimps, shelled and deveined by butterflying the back
Finely chopped Basil
Finely chopped Cilantro
Garlic
Olive oil
Salt
Pepper
Make sure your toppings are finished cooking before your risotto is, since the risotto will continue to cook in its own heat and become too soft and mushy.
1. Add all the ingredients and marinate the meat, pan fry them
2. Sweat the onions garlic and mushrooms in a pan
3. Add the Arborio rice and cook for several minutes, constantly stirring them so they don’t burn
4. Pour in the wine, which will sizzle and make the whole kitchen smell like heaven
5. When the wine has almost all reduced, add in two ladles of chicken stock, which you’ve obviously heated up and cooked with the chicken bones and shrimp shells
6. Allow the rice to absorb the liquid and add more, continue to cook until the rice has reached the level of chewiness you prefer, which you can start checking 15 minutes after from the time you’ve added the wine
7. When finished, stir in some butter and cilantro
8. Ladle some risotto on the bottom of the plate and top with either chicken or shrimp, garnish with the appropriate herbs
9. Pour yourself a glass of Rigamarole White, which you’ve obviously chilled beforehand, and enjoy
As I’ve also read, traditional risottos have more liquid in the end, but I prefer the creaminess better. For my next risotto, I’ll go hunt down some Dried Porcini mushrooms and see who will be my next wine victim. 
