WHAT WOULD LIFE BE IF...

... the Italians would had never came up with risotto? Seriously- I thought about that for a second and all I felt was this big empty crushing hole in my heart (and a growl in my stomach too).  All I can say is that humanity would had missed out on something if we never knew of the existance of risotto. Civilization would had collapsed (ok maybe I'm exxagerating there) and my life would had not been the same.
So let's start the praising:

There are so many reasons why I love risotto- first and foremost, it's delicious in a euphoric heavenly way. I have yet to meet someone who does not appreciate this dish. Secondly, it's super versatile. Risotto opens up to an array of tastebud preferences- you can flavour it in almost any way you like and accompany it with fishes, meats, lamb, or go vegetarian if you prefer. You can even match it up with every season of the year, how cool is that- risotto primavera anyone? Thirdly, it's a delight to make. Yes it is- don't be intimidated! You just need to set some time aside and make sure you serve it immediately so it doesn't dry up and turn into a block of rice. Other then that, all the smells and sounds and textures... I love every single bit of making risotto!

Anyway, with that said, risotto tends to be one of those dishes I make if I have a ''fancy looking dinner'' planned out because it looks good and therefore makes you look good in front of your guests! Not too long ago, I coupled it up with daurade fish and lots of green things: asparagus, kaffir lime leaves, coriander...

Risotto dries up quickly- so make sure you serve it immediately! This is the texture I had just before serving:

There is a really great visual guide to making basic risotto on Serious Eats- check it out!

Since I had some parmesan left over, I shaved off some large slices, sprinkled them with black sesame seeds and baked in the oven until they became crisps. They made some great accessorizing to the dish!

And last but not least, eat with your eyes first! I plated the risotto over some pea puree which added both colour and taste to the dish.

What are your favourite risotto based dishes? I'd love to know!