Giada at Home: Family Recipes From Italy and California (14 page)

Italy is best known for its short-grain rice dishes, like risotto, but long-grain rice is popular there as well. My grandmother Nonna Luna loved to cook rice, and her secret was toasting the grains before adding the broth and a tablespoon of hot sauce. Unlike in a risotto, the grains stay fluffy and separate, not starchy. This dish is super easy to make—the only trick is taking the full six to seven minutes needed to toast the rice grains. That step gives the dish a nutty flavor that takes it from good to great, and the shrimp make it a full meal.

In a medium nonstick saucepan, heat half of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken broth, 1 tablespoon of the hot sauce, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes, until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the shrimp, lemon juice, and remaining 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. Stir in the cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

Using a fork, fluff the rice and scoop out onto a platter. Spoon the shrimp cream sauce over the rice and serve.

This dish has become very popular on restaurant menus, because it seems extra-special—and tricky to make at home. Special it is, but in fact it’s quite easy to pull off, as it uses frozen lobster tails—no live lobsters to boil. The key is to brown the butter well for a deep, nutty flavor.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster tails and boil for 8 to 10 minutes, until the meat turns white. Drain and cool for 15 minutes. Using a sharp knife, cut through the top shell lengthwise. Remove the meat and cut into ½-inch pieces. Set aside.

In a saucepan, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Keep hot over low heat.

In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to foam and brown, 1 to 1½ minutes. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the brandy and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Add ½ cup of the broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding the broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next. Cook until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite, about 20 minutes in total. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and half of the chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the risotto to a large serving bowl. Arrange the lobster meat on top of the risotto and garnish with the remaining chives.

This is a dish typically found in the Lombardy region of Italy, or in the Veneto. The extra-creamy consistency of this risotto belies its bold flavors: each super-rich bite is woodsy and earthy all in one. Because it’s so rich, a small portion makes a big impact. I serve it with a simple side salad and a full-bodied red wine, such as a Barbera.

In a medium saucepan, bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the porcini mushrooms. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and set aside.

Reheat the broth to a simmer and keep hot over low heat.

In a large, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until the onion is tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add the wine and simmer until the wine has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Add ½ cup of the broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding broth, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly, and allowing each addition to be absorbed, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes in total.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan, Gorgonzola, chives, salt, and pepper. Transfer the risotto to a serving bowl. Serve immediately.

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