Today's tip
What are the final steps of cooking a perfect risotto?
When you are cooking risotto and the rice has cooked the amount of time suggested by the recipe, take a taste. If the rice is perfectly chewy and creamy, turn off the heat, and incorporate the finishing ingredients, chunks of room-temperature butter, or grated Grana Padano cheese. If the risotto is too al dente or a bit loose, cook for a couple more minutes, stirring. If the rice seems dry and under cooked, stir in a half-cup hot water or stock, or more if necessary, and cook over low heat for several more minutes, then taste again. On the other hand, if the rice seems soupy, and the rice grains seem fully cooked, you want to evaporate excess liquid quickly by keeping the lid off, raising the heat to high, and cooking the rice, stirring constantly, until it thickens.