Few ingredients, big flavor, nice texture = our winter wheat berry risotto! Our soft white winter wheat really does work well in our risotto recipe. This is a risotto recipe you will be making time, after time, after time! The flavor base is just the beginning and when you add our plump winter wheat berries, the aroma makes you want to start tasting before you finish the risotto recipe!
Risotto originated as an Italian dish made with rice. However, wait until you try our wheat berry risotto recipe! There is no magic to making this risotto recipe. Once you learn the basic procedures, it is all about personal taste and we like ours somewhere between creamy and a slightly chewy.
When making wheat berry risotto you can completely let your creativity flow and experiment with varying combinations. Did you shop for fresh vegetables at one of your local farmers' markets, or harvest your garden? Adding spices and vegetables is so much fun. You really should experiment when making risotto!
Add your experiments one bite at a time. Try some lightly steamed asparagus, tomatoes or another lightly steamed vegetable. We recommend using Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and nothing of lesser quality this recipe has so few ingredients that they quality of the cheese makes all the difference.
Prepare all risotto ingredients in advance, chopping mincing and measuring.
Warm the vegetable stock in a saucepan over low heat to the point that it is barely steaming.
Using a large high sided sauté pan, melt the butter and sauté onions over medium-high heat until onions are translucent and begin to break down. Add garlic and other spices of your choice and cook until fragrant.
Add the wheat berries to the saute mixture and stir until every wheat berry is coated with butter. Continue to cook and stir until edges of the wheat berries are translucent and the center is still opaque. You should be able to smell the aroma of toasted wheat berries.
Add ½ cup of white wine, stirring and simmering until the wine has completely reduced and the pan is nearly dry.
Begin adding the barely steaming vegetable broth one ladle-full at a time. When liquid is almost completely absorbed, add another ladle until you have just enough broth to cook the wheat and no more.
After 20 minutes or so start tasting the wheat berries. The risotto is ready when the wheat berries are still a little chewy and almost creamy.
Finally, add more ladle of broth, 2 tbsp. of butter and the cheese.
Stir together and serve immediately. If the risotto stands too long, some starches may set.
