I didn’t always like risotto. Risotto in a restaurant is often stodgy, too creamy, or too large in portion size that I rarely get through half. Meanwhile, my attempts at cooking risotto is often disastrous – I end up with a bowl of solid stodge instead of the fluid, creamy rice that I see on the TV cooking shows.

Now, this isn’t my risotto (it’s one from a seaside pub, and it’s seafood), but after many, many attempts, I think I may have mastered the risotto (mushroom in particular): use good arborio rice (preferably from a deli), stir rice gently, cook accompanying ingredients beforehand and stir in at last minute, don’t go overboard with the parmesan cheese, and eat straight away.