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Monday, August 24, 2009

which came first


T
he chicken or the egg? This same conundrum applies to risotto. How do you photograph a great plate of risotto so it conveys the fact that in its ugliness it is a great plate of risotto? I have tried and I will keep on trying. I am more picky about rice than I am about al-dente pasta. Blown out rice - or 'dog bone' as it has been so affectionately called is nothing more than good rice cooked bad. People will often come up with neat little things to call mistakes to make the mistake more acceptable. Not me. I want my rice to look like rice, not a dog bone or a plate of whatevers just because I am a careless 'chef.' This is where risotto stretches the limits. Risotto looks mushy but its not, risotto looks over cooked but it is not - risotto is the rockstar of rice - it pushes the limits.



Zoom in, have a look. Nice, neat, perfect grains of rice.



Wild mushroom risotto with asparagus broth. Porcini, maitake, and winecap mushrooms give the flavor, asparagus broth gives the secret and wild green onions smack it upside the head. Peace out bunny's. Oh, did I forget to mention that I had found and then dried these mushrooms? Well, I did.

34 comments:

theUngourmet said...

I love risotto but I've only attempted to make it once. It was work! I love your version with the wild mushrooms.

Heather S-G said...

Delicious looking risotto. I love the way risotto looks when it's done (properly)...all pearly. MMMM!Comfort food.

Angie's Recipes said...

Creamy wild mushrooms risotto looks very good.

Angie's Recipes

Jenn said...

That looks really good. I haven't tried making risotto yet. I'm a bit scared of screwing it up. But I love the addition of the wild mushrooms in yours. I may just have to try it (eventually).

Christo Gonzales said...

ungourmet: a little bit of stirring is hardly work

girli: pearly is a great way to say it

angie: rice is special and each dish needs special treatment

jenn: its an act of patience - love comes later

Anette said...

Some things are more to the tastebuds than to the eyes! But I think you did a good job catching the risottos tastyness in a photo. By the way I read about a resturant in China(?) where the food was served and eaten in total darkness and silence to leave room for the sence of the taste! Interesting! The staff wore night vision goggles ..

Anonymous said...

Looked good to me! Risotto, done well, one of my favorites. Kudos and props DB.

tavolini said...

Fantastic with the dried mushrooms! Looks excellent :)

LK- Healthy Delicious said...

I think this look fabulous! mushroom risotto is my favorite. An i totally know what you mean about being pickier with rice than pasta. Poorly cooked rice is just awful.

vanillasugarblog said...

I don't think the chicken or the egg came first because the chicken evolved from something else first. From what? who knows, I think they are still researching that, just humans came from apes, and apes came from....
I was supposed to talk about the risotto right?

Anonymous said...

My MIL tought me how to make her risotto this past Christmas - its so creamy, good and worth the work!

Reeni said...

Anyone who's eaten risotto will know your pictures do this justice. Creamy, rich, and so tasty with your hand-picked mushrooms - mouth-watering delicious!!

Katherine Roberts Aucoin said...

I have much better luck with risotto than rice. The only way I get rice to cook right everytime is with my rice cooker. Your risotto looks liek creamy goodness!

Angel said...

damn you Dog......DAYUM you! You gotta make this for me...PROMISE ME...if I ever come to NYC again.

Mo Diva said...

I love risotto... but i have never met a carb i didnt like!

Marjie said...

The asparagus is supposed to look like ears or antlers sticking up? Risotto always looks worse than it tastes.

Unknown said...

Risotto is like the ultimate comfort food. Yum!

Jill said...

Right now, I'm not feeling very nice. I'm sick...which is rare. The risotto looks amazing. It's my most favorite comfort food and I'm ridiculously jealous!

Jill said...

The Rock Star of rice it is!

Spin said...

I love risotto. So creamy! Looks yummy!

nora@ffr said...

ye risotto sound delish!! yummm!! a must make!

Pavithra Elangovan said...

Risotto looks so rich and creamy ...

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

Looks great - your photos bring out the best in the dish - and love the fact that you used the mushrooms that you collected foraging.

Ken said...

I don't know what that stuff is, but it sure looks like some mighty tasty, what I call...grub.

Tangled Noodle said...

Yes - I remember your mushroom hunt earlier this year! I've made risotto only a few times but I'm more adept at steamed rice and al dente pasta. I blame the lack of patience to be present during the cooking time (steamed rice = cover and come back later!)

Zoe said...

I really need to make risotto soon. Yours look so good! I know, some photos just don't do dishes justice. Chicken is the hardest to photograph for me.

Diana H said...

I agree with you, I love risotto, but in pictures it looks like a blob of mush sometimes, though it can taste divine. Making risotto can be fun with all that adding and stirring, though my daughter didn't like it.

Diana H said...

She didn't like the work - the risotto was delicious. Just thought I'd clarify.

Jamie said...

I simply love risotto and nothing more perfect exists quite like the perfect risotto. This one sounds incredible! You are quite the creative one!

Hornsfan said...

Beautiful risotto!

Dana Fallentine said...

Anything with asparagus on top is worth trying!

The Diva on a Diet said...

Yes, please! This looks truly magnificent - all of my favorite things in one dish.

Anonymous said...

Risotto makes me very happy. Keep making it and keep taking photos!

pigpigscorner said...

It looks like a plate of comfort food to me!

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