[aldeluca]

Hello everyone,
I would like to add Risotto to my catering menu, but I have a question for you guys.
How do you keep the risotto decent even for one hour?
Do you undercook the rice and let it finish while waiting?
Do you use parboiled rice and it stays good?

Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

 

[frankie007]

You do the base cooked aldente, then finish just before you need to serve it.
So you would sweat the onion, then rice then add the liquid(wine, then stock) and cook until nearly there. At this point you can cool the rice down. I have done it many times and never had a problem.
If it is a mushroom risotto for example you would then put your rice in the pot, add stock and sweated mushrooms and when you are happy with consistency of it finish it with butter and parmesan.

 

[chefross]

I would leave it off a catering menu completely.
Risotto is unique as we all make it our own style.
Placed in a chaffing dish, or allowed to be kept warm ruins the dish.

 

[frankie007]

When the risotto is ready as I explained you will have to serve it then. Chefross is right it is not a dish that can sit around, I did not realise you were going to keep it in a chaffing dish.

 

[Aaronpry76]

If doing Risotto for a catering event you have two options;
Par cook as stated above but cook small batches at a time to ensure it not over cook, Make it a little looser then normal so if it starts to set its not stiff have, hot stock readily available to add if needed to loosen.
Option two same process have it par cooked but make a station of it and serve in small batches. I have done both and it works very well long as you have a staff that is dependable. I use to even have my buffet runners add the hot stock if needed, But the key is small batches so your not wasting so much product. Most Guest will not mind the wait long as they know they are getting fresh product.

 

[cstanford]

Glutton for punishment.

Leave it off the menu.

 

[retiredbaker]

I spent a summer working at a large operation, 20 weddings a weekend in june, they had a grilled risotto.
Cook it as usual, spread 1 inch thick onto sheet trays and leave to go cold, then cut into triangles and brown it both sides on a flat top griddle, same as cooking eggs in a diner.

 

[kuan]

you have to serve it with a liquid. Cook you risotto normally. Prepare an asparagus purée the way you like it. Save some for refreshing the risotto. Dump it in the chafer.