A HARTE APPETITE: RISOTTO A NICE CHANGE FROM LOTSA PASTA

If you were asked to name the quintessential dish of Italy, you'd probably reply "pasta," and you wouldn't be wrong. But you wouldn't be completely right either, for in Northern Italy the classic rice dish, risotto, dominates.

Risotto is made with Italian short-grain rice, known as arborio rice, which, because it has a high starch content and is good at soaking up flavors and liquid, produces a wonderfully creamy dish sometimes referred to by Italians as the "porridge of the gods."

According to legend, risotto was created in Milan back in the late 16th Century and has remained a popular dish throughout Northern Italy ever since. It has become increasingly popular, even trendy, in this country as well, appearing frequently on restaurant menus. Inevitably, then, people have become interested in making the dish at home. Hence, a reader, Lea Hecht of Cape Girardeau, who has a risotto recipe from a St. Louis restaurant, has inquired about where to find arborio rice in this area.

Unfortunately, it is not easy. I recently checked local supermarkets and found that just one, Schnuck's, carries the product, though in rather small quantities. (If any readers know of another local source, please let me know.) The good news, however, is that arborio rice is readily available in the St. Louis area (not surprising given its Italian heritage), by mail order from places such as Balducci's in New York (call 1-800-225- 73 3822 and ask for item #4819), and that in a pinch you can substitute other types of rice in risotto recipes, though the texture will be different. This is what Lea did and she reports that her dish was delicious.

Lea will also tell you that making risotto is not especially tricky, but that it is labor-intensive. Her recipe, like most others, requires the cook to stand over the heat, stirring the mixture constantly for a good 30 minutes. That makes it pretty difficult to fix the rest of the meal or set the table while the rice is cooking.

Fortunately, it is perfectly possible to turn out excellent risotto, with hardly any sacrifice of creaminess, in the microwave. I know this may strike purists as heresy, but at our house it means we have risotto as a first course, side dish, or main course, a lot more often than we might otherwise.

So for Lea and others interested in the classic rice dish of Northern Italy, here is Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins' recipe for microwave risotto. It's excellent with simply a half a cup of Parmesan cheese added when finished or you can improvise endlessly. I've included some of my favorite variations and I invite readers to share theirs.

Basic Microwave Risotto

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup Arborio rice

3 cups chicken stock (simmering)

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Directions:

Heat butter and oil uncovered in a 10-inch microwave safe deep dish pie pan or 11x8 inch dish on high for 2 minutes. Stir in onions, coating well and cook another 4 minutes. Stir in rice and cook 4 more minutes. Stir in stock. Cook 9 minutes. Stir well. Cook 9 minutes more.

Spinach Risotto

To basic recipe add 10 ounce package fresh spinach, chopped, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, and 1 teaspoon Pernod during the last minute of cooking.

Risotto a la Grecque

Follow basic recipe adding 1 clove minced garlic to onions and during last three minutes of cooking 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 2 tablespoons each sun-dried tomatoes and olives, chopped, and half a pound peeled shrimp. Add 1 cup crumbled feta cheese when finished.

Low-fat Risotto

Omit butter from basic recipe being careful not to scorch rice during initial stage. You may need to add up to 1 cup of additional stock. Add only 1/4 cup cheese at the end.

Got a recipe you'd like to share with our readers? Are you looking for a recipe for something in particular? Send your recipes and requests to The Harte Appetite, c/o Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699.