Pressure cooker risotto (and, yes, it’s good!)

I love risotto and using the pressure cooker turns it into a fast-food, hands-off, make-it-often joy!

Basic Classic Risotto

(about 30 min. total)

Heat in pressure cooker over medium-high heat:                                                                                                                            
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil

Stir in:
¼ c. finely shopped shallots/onion (or more)

Add and stir until turning translucent, 1-2 min.:
1 ½ c. Arborio rice

Stir in:
4 c. chicken broth

Lock on lid and bring to pressure over high heat.  Leave on high heat 3-4 min.

Reduce to medium heat for 5 min.

Remove from heat and let sit 8 min. to finish cooking.

With steam vent away from face, reduce remaining pressure, by putting the pressure cooker under cold running water.  Unlock and remove cover.

Stir in:
1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or more)

My note:  If you want to add asparagus or something else, cook it while the risotto is cooking and add at the end with the cheese.  You could also use leftovers.

To make this vegetarian, use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.  For the vegan version, use vegetable broth and either no cheese or vegan Parmesan.

For a wonderful dish using leftovers, form patties with the cold risotto, press both sides into panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) and sauté in hot olive oil until crisp!  I can never decide if the fresh risotto or the patties are better, so I just keep testing!!

 The Pressure Cooker Gourmet, by Victoria Wise, is the source for this recipe.  There are lots of tasty recipes in the book and you can find a lot more by heading over to her blog, http://wisekitchen.wordpress.com/.  Thanks, Victoria, for permission to publish your delicious recipe and for giving us so many wonderful meals by using it!!