Ingredient: Rice - Italian Risotto Rice (or Arborio rice) or substitute with Carnaroli rice or Vialone Nano rice.
Category: Rice
Season: All
Arborio rice is an Italian medium-grain rice. It is named after the town of Arborio in the Po Valley, where it is grown.
Cooked, the rounded grains are firm and creamy due to the high starch content of this rice variety.
It is the traditional rice in risotto .
Botanically speaking , Arborio is a cultivar of the japonica subspecies of Oryza sativa.
The grains are not long and thin, but rounder and plumper.
Italian risotto rice, is superb, or for the finest-quality risotto rice of all, look for the names carnaroli or vialone nano.
In creamy, almost soupy risottos the rice is stirred, which releases some of the starch, and it is this that creates the lovely, smooth, creamy mass.
Carnaroli rice
Carnaroli is a medium-grained rice native to the Novara and Vercelli regions of northern Italy .
Carnaroli is traditionally used for making risotto, differing from the more common arborio rice, due to its higher starch content and firmer texture, as well as having a longer grain.
Carnaroli rice keeps its shape better than other forms of rice during the slow cooking required for making risotto due to higher quantities of amylose present within.
It is often described as being”superfino" rice or as "the king of rices ".
Vialone Nano rice
Perfect for the moister types of risotto , particularly those flavoured with vegetables, seafood or game, this rice is more absorbent than any other type.
Nano means dwarf in Italian and this rice is shorter and rounder than other risotto rices, making it a plump and hearty option.
Vialone Nano is also ideal for Venetian minestra , a meal between a risotto and a soup, a traditional dish of Venice.
Whereas the Carnaroli and Arborio are referred to as "superfino" or "extra fine",Vialone Nano is a "semifino".
It is the traditional rice of the Mantua and Veneto regions.
Growers of Vialone Nano proudly declare their rice chemical-free
It has a round, half-long grain ("nano" means "dwarf"), with central wide pearl and can absorb twice its own grain weight in liquid condiment.
For these reason it is the ideal rice for true creamy risotto with vegetables, mushrooms and meats.
Cooking time is about 15 minutes. |