Cooking risotto under pressure

A good risotto truly is a labor of love. Just ask anyone who’s stood over a stove, continually stirring the rice and adding stock to coax it into a creamy consistency.

However, adding some pressure can help speed up the process, according to Steven Miller, director of culinary operations at Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y. In his kitchen, Miller adds one part arborio rice to two parts water to a pressure cooker, and cooks the rice for 6 minutes.

He finishes the cooking process in front of guests while adding made-to-order ingredients. “It takes away about
60 percent of the cooking time and doesn’t affect the finished product,” says Miller. 

Steven MillerDirector of Culinary OperationsCornell UniversityIthaca, NY