Champagne imparts amazing flavour to this dish, which you can eat on its own or topped with shrimp, lobster, enoki mushrooms or smoked salmon!

Champagne risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Carnaroli rice
• 4 oz white onions finely chopped
• 2 cups Champagne
• 5 cups light chicken stock (approximately)
• 4 oz butter
• 4 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method:

Sweat the onion in two-thirds of the butter and the oil. Add the rice and toast for a few seconds to make the rice hot and to seal the grains.

Pour in the Champagne and let the alcohol evaporate well.

Add enough stock to cover the rice, and simmer. Add the stock a bit at a time, as needed, and stir occasionally to prevent burning and to develop the starches.

Altogether this should take 16 to 18 minutes. Do not add too much stock towards the end. Keep in mind that the risotto should be creamy, not soupy.

When the rice is cooked, remove from the fire and add the remaining butter and the cheese and whip well to make it fluffy.

Serve immediately.

Courtesy Chef Massimo Capra
massimocapra.com
@chefcapra