I like to wonder, if this dish were a motor vehicle what it’d be? Perhaps somewhere between a Vespa scooter (versatile and fun), and a Lamborghini (a lovingly made classic)? Whatever it is, add a drizzle of our new basil olive oil to take the dish (and maybe the metaphor) on a beautiful new road trip.
Grab a thick bottomed pan and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter is melted over a low heat add your finely chopped onion, garlic and celery. Cook nice and slowly for around 15 minutes. Now add your rice and fry it over a moderate heat. Don’t get distracted (like I always do), keep stirring and warm up your stock. When the rice starts looking translucent it means that the creamy starch is ready to be released, so add the wine in one go. Keep stirring till the wine is absorbed. Turn down the risotto a bit and add the stock a ladle at a time, each time allowing most of it to be absorbed before adding the next.
After 15 or 20 minutes you should have a creamy, rich risotto still with a bit of bite. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and grated parmesan. Then take it to another level with a twirly drizzle of basil olive oil.
