From March 21-30, i-t.ALIA Bangalore, part of The Park hotel, celebrates the risotto, a surprisingly simple yet delicious and versatile dish of Italian rice. Risotto, which literally means “little rice”, belongs to northern Italy – the Veneto, Lombardy and Piedmont regions.
Italians living in the north of Italy usually eat risotto as a first course. Risotto is a special preparation made out of short-grained rice and generous coats of waxy starch. It’s usually made with Arborio rice from Italy’s Po Valley in the Piedmont region, but Vialone Nano, Carnaroli and Baldo rice are also used the world over to make risotto.
One of the most comforting dishes to arrive at the Italian table, its special creamy texture and rice (that is ‘al dente’) tells you how much it is cared for. Starting from sautéing the onions to gently building up the risotto with wine and stock, it is a procedure that calls for the entire attention of the chef- leading to the culmination of blending in the butter and cheese. A perfect risotto will always have a bite and a distinct creaminess that lends it the wave.
The promotion promises to give you an opportunity to choose from a range delicious vegetarian, non vegetarian and dessert risottos. The non-vegetarian selection includes Classic seafood risotto with anchovies, shrimps, clam, mussels, squid and tomato, Risotto with John Dory, capers and parsley and Saffron risotto with ‘Sopressa di Vicenza’. The vegan selection offers Risotto of snow peas, mascarpone and thyme; Creamy morel and rosemary risotto. Risotto specials include Sage and walnut arancini with roasted chicken and Gorgonzola, Duck risotto timbale and Aubergine, celery and pinenut risotto cakes, bocconcini melt and tomato passata. The dessert offerings are Roasted peach, sherry and amaretti risotto, Chocolate, hazelnut and lemon risotto.
Though the basic cooking technique of each risotto is the same with four basic components – soffritto (sautéed vegetables), broth, flavouring ingredients, and Italian rice – the beauty of each risotto created by Chefs lies in the use of choicest ingredients to create exquisite flavours!
Indulge!
