• Heat the stock in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. You want it gently simmering,not boiling.
  5 cups chicken stock
• In a wide pan for medium heat, add 1 Tablespoon of butter and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Sauté the onion for about three minutes. You don't want to brown the onion, just cook until translucent.

  At this point, add in the garlic and quickly sauté for about 30 seconds or until you can smell it.
  1 T olive oil, 3 T butter, 1 cup onion, 3 cloves garlic
  
• Pour in the rice and stir with a wooden spoon to toast, about 3-4 minutes. Watch your heat so the onion doesn't brown.
  1 cup arborio rice
  
• Pour in vinegar and water and saute for 2 minutes until the pan is almost dry. Don't rush this part - lower the heat if the vinegar is cooking away too quickly.
  1/4 c apple cider vinegar, 1/4 cup water
  

Stirring process

• Using a 4 oz. ladle (1/2 cup), add in 1 ladle of stock along with the salt and pepper. For the first few rounds of additions, stir pretty continuously with a wooden spoon, until the stock is absorbed by the rice and the pan is almost dry. This should take about 2-3 minutes per ladle of stock.

  The key to stirring is so the grains bump up against each other, and release more starch which makes the risotto creamy.
  1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper
  
• Repeat with each ladle of stock. When you get to about the 6th addition of stock, you don't need to stir as much. This is where I'll cover the pan for about 1 minutes to release some steam into the risotto before adding the next ladle full.
  
• Stop adding stock when you have about 1 cup of stock left in the warming sauce pan. Reserve this stock for right before serving or if you're making the risotto ahead of time.

  This whole process should take about 20 minutes.
  

Finishing

• Remove the risotto from the heat. Stir in the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter and stir until melted. Stir in the remaining warmed stock if you're serving immediately. Taste for seasoning.

  Stir in the parmesan cheese until incorporated and correct for seasoning.
  1/2-1 cup Parmesan cheese, fresh chopped parsley
  

If making ahead

• After finishing risotto with butter per the above instruction, refrigerate the risotto in a airtight container. Right before serving, heat the remaining cup of stock. Add the risotto to a clean pan and gently warm over low-medium heat. (If you're worried about the risotto sticking to the pan, feel free to melt a little butter first or add in a touch of stock. Stir in warmed stock and finish with more parmesan and seasoning, if needed.