Harry's Bar Cookbook by Harry Cipriani

Author:Harry Cipriani
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9780345540591
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2012-06-18T20:00:00+00:00

Most people don’t realize that a great deal of rice is grown in the north of Italy and that rice is a very important part of our diet. We grow several varieties of rice, most of which has short, almost round grains. Cooks from the Milan region have developed a unique way of cooking this particular kind of rice, turning it into risotto, a splendid creamy creation unlike any other rice dish. Risotto, which is a Milanese institution, has begun to cause a stir outside of Italy only during the last few years. Risotto can be eaten plain with butter and cheese or combined with every imaginable vegetable, fish, or meat. In Italy it is always eaten as a first course, with one notable exception—Osso Buco is invariably served with risotto.

I feel strongly that certain dishes definitely should not be preceded by an appetizer. Risotto is a case in point. Nothing, but nothing, should come before the first mouthful of a good risotto. Of course, most waiters will ask their customers if they would like to eat something while their risotto is being prepared. My own suggestion would be perhaps a little bread and butter or a salad but nothing more, because a good risotto is an event, and waiting for it only heightens the experience. For many years there was a waiter at Harry’s Bar named Angelo. He was Truman Capote’s favorite waiter, and Truman would eat whatever Angelo suggested. Among his other eccentricities, Angelo was absolutely strict about not letting his customers eat anything before their risotto, not even a little bread. When they ordered risotto, they would have to wait at least 20 minutes before any food arrived on the table. But no one complained, and no one even minded since Angelo was one of the most popular waiters at Harry’s Bar and customers would ask for him every time they came into the place.

Although Arborio is the Italian rice best known and most frequently used by cooks outside of Italy, I don’t think it’s the best rice for risotto. The two best kinds of Italian rice for making risotto are Vialone Nano Semifino, which is grown in the province of Mantova, and Carnaroli, which comes from Novara and Vercelli, two towns between Milan and Turin. Both of these varieties cook more evenly than Arborio, and since they contain more gluten they maintain their strength longer. As the rice cooks, the gluten dissolves, and this allows the grains to cling to each other. The cooked rice has the characteristic texture of risotto—soft but never gummy. Both Vialone Nano Semifino and Carnaroli are now available in many Italian specialty food stores and by mail order, so do use them. If you have trouble finding them, use Arborio, being very careful not to overcook it, or try other short-grain rice until you find one that makes a good risotto.

Another important element in making a good risotto is the right saucepan. The ideal saucepan is aluminum or copper on the outside and stainless steel on the inside, with a heavy bottom.

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