Add the olive oil to a large pot or rondeau over medium-low heat.
Pour in the onions and cook for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and translucent. Feel free to cook longer to caramelize.
Add the garlic and cook it just until fragrant, which takes 30 to 45 seconds.
Next, pour in the rice and toast for 3 to 4 minutes while constantly stirring.
Deglaze with the wine and stir constantly until all of it has been absorbed into the rice.
Add 4-8 ounces of warm chicken stock at a time to the rice while constantly stirring until it has been absorbed, and then repeat the process until the arborio rice is cooked to al dente. This process can take anywhere from 25 to 40 minutes.
Stir in the cream, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, salt, and pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.
Garnish with more Parmigiano Reggiano and optional minced fresh parsley garnish.
Notes
Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten as soon as it’s finished cooking. However, you can keep this warm in a pot covered with a lid over very low heat for up to 20 minutes before serving.How to Store: Cover and place the risotto in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before reheating.How to Reheat: Add the desired amount of risotto to a medium-sized saucepot along with ¼ to 1/3 cup of water and stir over low heat until hot and creamy.Traditionally, risotto is finished with whole butter. However, I learned the heavy cream trick from the famous Chef Thomas Keller of the French Laundry, and it is worth doing.Add other cooked ingredients to your risotto, like mushrooms, shrimp, chicken, seafood, asparagus, Lobster, sausage, etc.If you want to alter the flavor of the risotto, do a full caramelization of the onions, about 20-25 minutes.The rice will go from bright white to translucent and may have a little brown on it from toasting.I’ve found that it takes about 5 cups of chicken stock for every 2 cups of arborio rice.Al Dente means “to the tooth” and refers to the doneness of grains and vegetables. When cooked in this manner, the food should have some firmness, but not crunchy.