Recipes:
• Basic Microwave Risotto
• Cheese-and-Bacon Risotto
• Green Pea-and-Asparagus Risotto
• Portobello-Spinach Risotto
• Parmesan-Squash Risotto
• Crispy Risotto Cakes

I never thought a hands-off approach to risotto would yield the same wonderful results as the traditional cooking method. But I was wrong. Risotto, a northern Italian rice dish, usually requires constant stirring from the cook. But a simple microwave technique makes multitasking in the kitchen possible.

The Rules of Risotto
Arborio rice is traditionally used for risotto because of its high starch content, which produces the creamy texture of the dish. Regular short-grain and medium-grain rice may be substituted in a pinch, but for best results always look for imported Italian Arborio. (Check the rice aisle in your local supermarket; Arborio is often sold with other specialty rices.) Do not rinse risotto rice before cooking because you’ll wash off the starch.

"Rapid Risotto" is from the June 2008 issue of Southern Living.