Risotto Alla Milanese, cooked with a dry Lynfred white wine!
Risotto seemed realllly intimidating to me at first, but as with most recipes, as soon as we got started everything went really well. There are 7 pictures today because I included 4 of the rice at various stages of the cooking process (in order) as that last piece (ladling the veggie stock/broth into the pan and cooking off) is VERY important.
Also: saffron. Man, they weren’t kidding when I read that it was the most expensive spice in the world. It was 7.99USD for 0.04 ounces, which comes out to like 3200USD an ounce! Unless my math is wrong: whoa. I included a picture for people because I had no idea what to look for.
Anyways the risotto came out absolutely DELICIOUS and as I said it really wasn’t that bad…risotto I think has a bad rap that it’s only a delicacy available to the pros, but I say nay! This recipe is totally doable! The only thing I would change is to say: leave the rice by itself and let people top their personal dishes with the parmesan cheese and gremolata…some people liked the toppings, some didn’t, to varying degrees.
Listening to: Simple Math by Manchester Orchestra
Risotto Alla Milanese
Recipe from the Private Kitchen of Lynfred Chef Chris Smith
Ingredients
1 t saffron strands
1 T boiling water
2 T butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborrio rice
2/3 cup Lynfred dry white wine
4 cups vegetable stock
salt and black pepper, to taste
Parmesan cheese shavings, or grated Parmesan
*For the gremolata*
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 T chopped fresh parsley
zest of 1 lemon, finely grated
Method
Begin by making the gremolata. Combine the crushed garlic, chopped parsley, and grated lemon zest. Set aside while the risotto cooks.
Put the saffron strands in a small bowl, and pour the boiling water over them. Set aside to steep. Melt the butter in a heavy sauce pan and gently sauté the onions for 3 minutes, until softened.
Add the rice and cook, constantly stirring, for about 2 minutes; until it becomes translucent. Add the wine and steeped saffron and cook for several minutes until the wine is absorbed. Add 2 1/2 cups of the vegetable stock to the pan and simmer gently until it is absorbed, stirring frequently.
Gradually add more stock, a ladleful at a time, until the rice is tender. *The rice might be tender and creamy BEFORE you’ve added all the stock, so add it slowly toward the end of the cooking time. Season the risotto with salt and pepper and transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle lavishly with shavings of Parmesan cheese, or the grated Parmesan, and the gremolata. Enjoy!
