Il Cucinologo
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Risotto with Cotechino, Lentils and Spumante

17/11/2023

The Risotto with Cotechino, Lentils and Spumante is a dish that blends Italian traditions, perfect for the holidays, especially New Year’s, since lentils and cotechino are symbols of prosperity and good luck for the new year. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

  • 320 g Carnaroli or Arborio rice
  • 200 g pre-cooked cotechino
  • 150 g lentils (pre-cooked lentils recommended for simplicity)
  • 1 small shallot
  • 1 glass brut spumante
  • About 1 liter hot vegetable stock
  • 30 g butter
  • 40 g grated Parmigiano
  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)

Preparation

  1. Start by cutting the pre-cooked cotechino into cubes after heating it according to the package instructions. Set aside.
  2. Finely chop the shallot and sauté it in a saucepan with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, without browning it.
  3. Add the rice to the saucepan and toast for a few minutes until it becomes translucent, stirring frequently.
  4. Deglaze with the glass of spumante, letting it evaporate over high heat.
  5. Add the lentils to the risotto and continue cooking, adding the hot vegetable stock a little at a time, stirring often and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next ladleful.
  6. Halfway through cooking, stir in the cotechino cubes as well.
  7. Continue cooking the risotto until the rice is al dente, soft on the outside with a slight resistance at the center.
  8. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the cold butter and grated Parmigiano, adjusting salt and pepper to taste.
  9. Let the risotto rest, covered, for one minute to achieve perfect creaminess.
  10. Serve the risotto garnished with chopped parsley for a touch of color, if desired.

Trivia

Risotto is an extremely versatile dish, and its creaminess comes from proper mantecatura, a culinary term that refers to the final addition of cold butter and grated cheese to bind and cream the dish. The use of spumante also imparts a note of freshness and acidity that balances the rich flavor of the cotechino and lentils.