Risotto for the masses

[john b]

I'm thinking of doing some kind of risotto (probably pancetta and mushroom) over the upcoming holidays. Most of the recipes I use serve 2-4 and I'll be cooking for 10-12.

Can I double/triple/quadruple the recipe and cook it in one large dutch oven, or should I make the 2-4 serving recipes and use multiple pans? I may be in in need of an octopus to do all the stirring.

[chefdg]

Cook it in one pot.

[Dana]

chefdg is right. I made risotto for 14 a couple of years ago in a vacation house kitchen and had no trouble at all. I did have a 'sous chef' for help with stirring, though.

[Marco_Polo]

I did have a 'sous chef' for help with stirring, though.

←

I agree with Dana and chefdg. Since risotto needs to be cooked to order, why not make it into something of an occasion and rope your guests into the kitchen to help you stir the pot. I've made risotto ai funghi for about 100 in a single pot, cooked outdoors over a big paella gas burner to feed hungry cyclists after my annual charity century ride. Took a damn long time to cook, and as everyone was starving I enlisted help with the stirring, which with such a large amount of rice is very heavy work. But the risotto turned out well, al dente but cooked through. Cooking for 14 should not be too much of a problem - remember, you need less rice per person than you might think (a rice such as Vialone Nano, my favourite for risotti, will absorb more than twice its volume in liquid).

MP

[MichaelB]

I likewise have done risotto for up to a hundred on many occassions. If you are entertaining a large group, you may want to par cook your risotto ahead of time. The risotto comes out perfectly and the timing during your party is easier.

To do so, just cook the rice the normal way until about 2/3 cooked. Then, spread the risotto in a thin layer on a sheet tray and refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, just add the simmering stock (in somewhat larger "portions" than you use normally) to the cold rice. The rice will finish cooking very quickly. Add your pancetta and mushrooms and serve!

[john b]

I did have a 'sous chef' for help with stirring, though.

←

I agree with Dana and chefdg. Since risotto needs to be cooked to order, why not make it into something of an occasion and rope your guests into the kitchen to help you stir the pot. I've made risotto ai funghi for about 100 in a single pot, cooked outdoors over a big paella gas burner to feed hungry cyclists after my annual charity century ride. Took a damn long time to cook, and as everyone was starving I enlisted help with the stirring, which with such a large amount of rice is very heavy work. But the risotto turned out well, al dente but cooked through. Cooking for 14 should not be too much of a problem - remember, you need less rice per person than you might think (a rice such as Vialone Nano, my favourite for risotti, will absorb more than twice its volume in liquid).

MP

←

I like the idea of a stirring party.

Thanks!

[fiftydollars]

The par cooking is a great idea when making large quantities. I was very hesitant at first, but Thomas Keller's recipe in the French Laundry cookbook uses a par cooking technique... so if it's good enough for TK... the hundred or so people at your party probably won't complain.

[Malawry]

I tried parcooking recently. It worked pretty well. I was using a Patrick O'Connell technique published about 2 months ago in the Washington Post, from his new Inn at Little Washington cookbook. This was risotto for 34. They slurped it down quickly so it must have been pretty good!