Yes, with the cauliflower and the zucchine, you saute' the veggies with either garlic or onion (i use garlic for cauliflower and onion for zucchine) in oil. When the onion or garlic is pretty much soft, and the vegetable starts to be cooked, you add the rice. Stir, cooking, till the grains are coated in the oil, then start adding water or broth.
The cauliflower should be cut up into small flowerets, and the bigger ones (most of them) cut lenghthwise in halves or quarters. The pieces should be small bite-size, so one or two will fit on a fork along with the rice.
Add the liquid a little at a time, as for regular risotto
With zucchine you won;t need as much liquid, of course.
The vegetables get soft and mushy, and sort of melt into the rice, with some pieces remaining to bite into.
Also great is to do the same, cooking till very soft but without rice, and then putting on top of cooked pasta. mix it in and add parmigiano.
With the cauliflower and pasta, i like a little red hot pepper, sauteed with the garlic. Just a bit.
I also sometimes add small cubes of pancetta, fried first to brown them, remove, add oil and do the garlic and cauliflower.
The cauliflower is surprisingly sweet-tasting.
I;ve also made risotto with cabbage. That's a surprise.
I never did it but pumpkin or squash is used alot in risotto.
Oh, and another kind my mother used to make, a tuscan recipe, is to sautee onions in butter till soft, add cut up chicken livers and gizzards and hearts, cook till browned, then add the rice. Add tomato and/or broth.
