Risotto is one of those dishes that forces us to slow down and smell the roses. It’s easy enough to make, it just requires patience. And a lot of stirring. The risotto rice cooking process can take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of risotto rice you are using. You stir gently, almost constantly, throughout the cooking process, slowly adding liquid as the rice absorbs it. The stirring not only helps keep the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan, it loosens up starches from the rice which helps create a creamy texture to the risotto. A good risotto is creamy without ever having to add cream! As the risotto comes close to being done, add the chopped artichoke hearts and some paprika rubbed sautéed shrimp, and it’s ready, your patience rewarded. Enjoy! We are using artichokes canned in water for this recipe, and we suggest including the artichoke water in with the risotto. Taste the artichoke water first. If it tastes good to you, then include. If not, then don’t. You can also use frozen or fresh cooked artichoke hearts instead of canned. For frozen, you’ll need about 8 ounces. For fresh, you’ll probably need the hearts from 2 globe artichokes, cooked and finely chopped. See How to Cook and Eat an Artichoke for instructions on cooking artichokes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Add it 1/2 cup at a time, again stirring slowly, allowing the rice to absorb it for a minute or two before adding any more. You’ll need between 2 and 3 cups of water. You’ll want to stop adding water when the rice is cooked through, but still a little firm to the bite, “al dente.”
