[Samia`s food facts and recipes: Samia Mounts]Risotto Barolo: An Italian creation for the soul

I received flowers last weekend, but there was no name on the attached card. The flowers were beautiful and their fragrance was just exquisite. The card stated that last week`s prosciutto recipe was wonderful, but that the sender was hoping I would write about risotto made with dry red wine in the future. I went to my Italian cookbook, The Silver Spoon, again and looked up risotto with wine. The cookbook had a lot of information about the use of red wine with rice. I`ve heard that Italians will travel to the ends of the earth to find a good risotto dish. Will my anonymous flower-sender-who I hope is the mysterious blue-eyed Febrizio himself-go to the ends of the earth for me if I produce the perfect risotto? A risotto that not only qualifies as fine dining, but is the very essence of Italian comfort food as well? Whoever my elusive admirer is, I decided to take him up on his challenge.

I started by visiting a few Italian restaurants to see if any of them serve risotto with red wine. One of the restaurants I visited was Buonasera, an Italian restaurant in Gangnam. If you want to check the restaurant out, go to www.buonasera.co.kr. I ordered risotto al Barolo alla maniera classica, which means risotto cooked with red Barolo, as my first course. It was delicious, and the flavor of the risotto was somewhat fruity, yet not sweet. It was almost seductive. Somehow, it was full of flavors that I have not experienced before. You must try it to know what I mean. (By the way, I`m going to have to eat less of all that wonderful Italian food갤.it is starting to show on my waistline!) I asked the full-blooded Italian chef how he made the risotto, and he was kind enough to let me in on a few of his secrets. I could not find Barolo wine, so I researched what other wines I could use to give me a comparable flavor. It turned out a dry Merlot would work just fine. I also tried Cabernet Sauvignon, and that was good, too. The wine should be a dry full-bodied type. Barolo wines are deep red with a thick and complete flavor.

Now, what exactly is risotto? According to my amazing Silver Spoon cookbook, it is rice, but it is not rice. How is that? The method of cooking risotto is always to saut? short grain rice first, and then you add the water or broth to give it that creamy texture. That is basic to all risotto dishes, but the ingredients differ from region to region. Each region has their own style and list of ingredients. Another interesting fact is that short grain rice contains amylopectins (starch molecules). The amylopectins are released when you stir the rice. When the amylopectins are released, the cooking liquid thickens. (Note: even if you`re not using wine in your risotto, it`s a beautiful thing to cook risotto with a glass of red wine handy. Sip and stir, sip and stir, it`s tremendous!)

I also found out that not any rice will do for risotto. It must be short-grain rice, usually Arborio from the Italian Piedmont region or Baldo, Vialone, and Nano from specialty food stores. I used the Korean short-grain rice made by Cheung San Uo Gok Company, and it comes in 1kg packages. It is really wonderful.

As I stated before, each region has its individual ingredients for risotto. Venice is famous for putting risotto on the map. A risotto dish served with pumpkin and rosemary is popular with epicureans. Venetians also love risotto in squid`s ink, which is surprisingly popular with tourists. The Romans prefer it white, with butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. In Mantua, they like amber-hued risotto with orange pumpkin squash. In Veneto, meat, fish, beans or vegetables are added to the risotto. The Italian cooks in every region seem to believe their risotto is the best. Chef Massimiliano Alajmo, owner of Le Calandre near Padua, a city 40km west of Venice, says, "Regional cooking is the heart of Italian food."

The history of rice is extensive. I will not bore you with too many details, but I will present a bird`s-eye view. It is somewhat difficult to know for sure, but according to historians, India cultivated rice around 3000 B.C., and then it spread to China and Africa. It has been said that Alexander the Great took rice in the fourth century B.C. to Euphrates and Indus. The Saracens (Arab Caliphates) invaded Spain in the seventh century A.D., which marks the start of the use of rice in Western culture. This is also the beginning of rice used in Spain, and then it was taken to Naples in 1441. Rice crops were being grown near Milan by 1465. It is not really known how risotto was developed, but today it is one of those simple and luxurious dishes that are loved in Italy and abroad. The areas that are heavy rice growers are in Northern Italy. Interestingly, the Italians that live in the north eat risotto as a first course.

Rice is a major staple of the diets of many, many different countries, on almost every continent. It is non-allergenic, high in carbohydrates, low in salt and fat, and easy to digest. It is a food that can be served with almost any dish, due to its neutral texture and flavor. In Korea, it is served at every meal.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, rice makes up about 27 percent of dietary energy and 20 percent of dietary protein for developing countries. There are 241 calories in one cup of short grain rice, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. The problem with rice as a major food source is that it has an incomplete amino acid profile and limited essential micronutrients, which is why adding healthful ingredients like vegetables and low-fat meat can be beneficial. There are 2000 varieties of rice cultivated worldwide, but their nutritional value differs.



Risotto with red wine



- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1 tablespoon butter

- 4 cloves garlic, chopped

- 1 medium white onion, chopped

- 1 cup Barolo or other dry red wine, such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon

- 2 cups short grain rice, Aborio if you can find it (do not wash the rice)

- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

- 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

- 7-8 cups of vegetable or chicken broth (heat until hot)

- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)



1. Heat oil and butter in large skillet, add garlic and onions. Cook for a few minutes or until it softens.

2. Stir in the rice and toss until the rice is well coated and edges of rice turn transparent. (Do not let rice brown) Keep stirring, add the wine, and stir for proper absorption.

3. Add salt and pepper and keep on stirring.

4. Pour in one cup of broth and stir. Continue to stir and keep on adding broth until most of the broth is used. The rice should feel soft and creamy yet al dente.

Make sure that the risotto is creamy and still has some thick liquid.

Mix in the cheese and serve. Serves 8.

Each cup of cooked risotto is 320 calories, with 9 grams protein, 6 grams fat, 50 grams carbohydrates, and 2 grams fiber.

This dish is so delicious and the leftovers are even more delicious because the risotto has a chance to mellow. You can also shape the risotto into cakes and fry to serve with eggs for breakfast or with a salad for lunch.

(samiamounts@yahoo.com)





Samia Mounts is a long-time nutritionist and gourmet aficionado. She works as assistant principal at the Seoul American Middle School. - Ed.



By Samia Mounts