Risotto is a rich, creamy traditional Italian rice dish. It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy.
 
Its origins are in North Italy, specifically Eastern Piedmont, Western Lombardy and the Veneto (where Vialone Nano comes from), where rice paddies are abundant. It is one of the pillars of Milanese cuisine. As far as Italians are concerned, to be correctly described as risotto, a dish needs to be made following the established process described below; otherwise, the dish is a rice dish, but cannot correctly be called a risotto.
 
The rice is first cooked briefly in or olive oil to coat each grain in a film of fat; this is called tostatura. White wine is then added and has to be absorbed by the grains. When the wine has evaporated, the heat is raised to medium-high and very hot stock is gradually added in small amounts while the rice is stirred gently and almost constantly; stirring loosens the starch molecules from the outside of the rice grains into the surrounding liquid, creating a smooth creamy-textured liquid. Tasting helps to indicate when the risotto is ready - a total time of about 17 minutes from when the wine evaporated. At that point, it is taken off the heat for the last, essential step - the mantecatura - when diced cold butter and finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese are whipped in to make the texture as creamy and smooth as possible. It may be removed from the heat a few minutes earlier and left to cook with its residual heat but this requires fine judgment as to how much liquid will be absorbed by the rice while it waits. The cheese is usually omitted if the risotto contains fish or seafood. 

 

5oz. Arborio rice
3½ cups Chicken broth
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
4oz. White wine
2 tbsp. Chopped onion
1 cup Heavy cream
Lemon zest
3 tbsp. Parmigiano


Procedure

In the morning, add lemon zest  to heavy cream. In a pot, stir the olive oil and onions together and gently cook until golden. Add the rice and toast it for about two minutes on low heat. Add the white wine. Turn up the heat and add the chicken broth in small batches stirring constantly, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid little by little. Cook for 16-18 minutes, then add the cream and parmigiano.