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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Wednesday, January 12, 2005

Double boiler makes risotto, polenta easier

 •  New popularity for double boiler

By Wanda A. Adams
Advertiser Food Editor

The double boiler is an old tool with many contemporary applications, including easing the preparation of two traditional Italian dishes that have become staples on modern menus — risotto and polenta.

Here's how to prepare both using the slow, gentle heat of a double boiler to reduce the necessity for constant attention and stirring, leaving you free to give your attention to the rest of the meal or enjoy a little time with family or guests.

This double-boiler risotto technique is adapted from early editions of the "Joy of Cooking" — the original 1931 version, as well as the 1952 edition. The advantage is that you can prepare a reasonable facsimile of authentic risotto without having to constantly tend the pot, as is required by the traditional technique. This is best when made with a flavorful homemade stock but bouillon cube, canned broth or even canned consommé can be used.

Easy double-boiler risotto

  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 3 cups hot chicken or beef stock or bouillion
  • Flavorings as desired: Pinch of cayenne, paprika, saffron and/or fresh-ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water to just below the point where the top half sits. Bring water to a boil; turn down heat to gentle simmer.

Place top of double boiler on top. In top of double boiler, melt butter. Add rice and saute for 1-3 minutes. Slowly add wine, stirring. Slowly add hot stock. Reduce heat to medium low. Add flavorings as desired. Cook for 45 minutes to one hour, stirring occasionally, being sure that the water below is gently simmering; add additional boiling water to the bottom pot if needed. Just before serving, stir in cheese. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired (bouillion can be quite salty, so you may not need any additional salt).

Makes 8 servings.

• Per serving: 210 calories, 9 g total fat, 5 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 550 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrates, 0.5 g fiber, 1 g sugar, 5 g protein.

• Variations: Sauté a half-cup finely chopped onions and/or celery along with the rice. And/or, about 30 minutes into the cooking time, stir in a half-cup of sautéed mushrooms or lightly cooked meats. A seafood risotto can be made with a lightly flavored fish stock; add raw, shelled shrimp, chunks of steamed crab or lobster or bits of fish fillet toward the end of the cooking time.

• • •

Authentic, coarse-ground polenta (not the instant type) is another normally high-maintenance side dish that can be easily prepared in a double boiler, requiring only periodic stirring. This technique is from Michele Ana Jordan's "Polenta" (Broadway Books, 1997). This polenta can be eaten as a side dish with grilled meats or as a bed on which to serve a ragout or thick stew.

Soft double-boiler polenta

  • 4 cups boiling water
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 cup coarse-ground polenta
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water to just below the point where the top half sits. Bring water to a boil; turn down heat to gentle simmer.

Meanwhile, boil 4 cups water in another pot. Pour the 4 cups boiling water into the top portion of the double boiler, stir in the salt and gradually pour in the polenta, stirring to prevent lumps from forming. Bring water and polenta back to a boil (being mindful of boiling polenta's tendency to spit and burn you). Cover tightly and simmer for medium-low heat until polenta is thickened, soft-textured, tender and pulling away from the sides of the pot. Stir every 20 minutes or so, using a long-handled spoon. Add additional water as necessary during the 1 to 1 1/2 hours of cooking if the polenta begins to stick. Add butter and cheese during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Remove from heat and pour onto large platter or into individual warmed bowls. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

• Per serving: 110 calories, 6 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, greater than 1,000 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber, 0 g sugar,4 g protein.

• Variations: Stir in 2 tablespoons of cream along with butter and cheese, for richer polenta. Add minced fresh herbs, mushrooms, crumbled sausage or ham, or other cheese or meats as desired during the last 10 minutes of cooking.