The Art of Cooking: Risotto

I was supposed to follow up on my introduction of Montreal-based artist John Mavreas, but thanks to an embarrassing technological glitch at my Las Cruces, New Mexico-based lair, that’s not going to happen this week…and since this happened at the proverbial (and actual) last minute, I was literally left flailing in my kitchen…

Ah, my kitchen! I just happened to be making a delicious local fusion specialty (well, local to my good friend Pat and me) – green chile risotto. If you’ve never made risotto because it seems too difficult, let go of that particular prejudice. Risotto takes time – it does not take any special ability or knowledge. Trust me on this – I’m no chef, but I can make very decent meals, thank you very much. Oh, okay, don’t trust me – check out these recipes, anyway:

  • BellaOnline

    Okay, in short, you may have to stand around your stove and keep stirring this delicious dish for upward of thirty minutes, but there’s nothing more complicated than that. You can use any type of broth that you prefer (in my opinion), and whatever you’d like to add. My friend Pat introduced me to the Ital-Mex fusion concept of using green chile (and there is no place in the United States where you can find better chile than here) and parmesan. When I make this recipe, I personally substitute cheddar for the parm; cheddar seems to me to go better with chile, and anyway I like it better than parmesan. You can, of course, substitute whatever cheese you like – that’s the joy of cooking, in my kitchen anyway.

    At any rate, at the end of a long session of stirring (which I usually do with a favorite book in hand), you will have a lovely meal that needs nothing more added than a simple salad. As a chile-head, I would suggest a hardy lettuce dressed in soy sauce and titillatingly spicy Rooster Sauce.

    So…I apologize for not having the Mavreas interview, but that will (technology willing) happen next week. In the meantime, enjoy art, enjoy food, enjoy yourself; and as always, let me know what’s on your mind. Happy cooking!