The Cooking Liquid

When to Use Broth The most desirable liquid for cooking all risottos, save those with seafood, is a homemade meat broth. Broth is not stock. It is water in which a piece of fresh meat and a bone or two have been boiled slowly with salt and some vegetables. It is light-bodied and gentle, self-effacingly bringing savor to the dishes of which it is part. In anticipation of future use—and not just in risotto but in many soups—you can make broth several weeks ahead of time in substantial quantity, freeze it into cubes, and store it in the freezer in tightly sealed plastic bags. It takes little effort and no special skill to make, and becomes an invaluable aid to good cooking. The meat you use need not be a fancy cut at all; in fact, the least expensive ones are often the tastiest, but there should be real flesh for the broth, not just bones and sinew. Beef and veal together are what you want for good balance. Omit pork and lamb. I find the flavor of chicken has become distractingly pungent, and I no longer use it.