I realized recently that, despite ordering risotto at many of our favorite restaurants, I hadn’t made it at home for a very long time. My family prefers pasta, I suppose, and I guess we all have this perception that risotto is time consuming or difficult to make.
Often, people think that risotto is a dish that is rich with cream when, in fact, risotto’s “creaminess” is the result of slow cooking short grain rice until its starch is released. The most frequently used rice for risotto is known as “arborio” and it is now widely available in most grocery stores.
When I was young, I remember my mother telling me (in a very wistful way) about a wonderful dish she had while traveling to Italy with my father. It was “Risotto Milanese” and was served with its traditional accompaniment, “osso bucco,” or braised veal shanks. She was describing what is likely the most well-known risotto preparation made with chicken broth, Parmesan cheese, the golden herb saffron, butter and a little bone marrow from the veal or beef shanks.
I’m seeing more and more risotto on restaurant menus. Beef, chicken and fish entrees are being paired with risotto rather than the ubiquitous baked potato or little roasted red-skinned potatoes. And what a vast number of risotto combinations there are—risotto with vegetables like peas and asparagus, risotto with crab and shrimp, and risotto that turns a brilliant, rosy hue with the addition of red wine. I recently found a recipe for a very “upscale” risotto made with champagne and truffles.
As noted above, many home cooks might think that risotto is difficult to make. It is not. But it does require patience because risotto needs to be watched and stirred for about 20 minutes. You must use “risotto rice” like arborio and will get the best results from using sweet cream butter and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Saffron threads, an expensive spice, take risotto to a new level. Little packets of it can be found in the spice section of most supermarkets. I use canned or packaged beef, chicken or vegetable broth all the time. Unlike my Sicilian mother, I don’t make homemade broth every week. But it works just fine, especially the reduced sodium versions.
The recipe I am sharing this month is from Biba Caggiano, cookbook author and restaurant owner from Sacramento, Calif. It is a simple risotto that is based on the traditional Milanese way of preparing it. Make it one time, and you will be an expert!
Milanese Risotto
Ingredients
- 7 cups lower sodium chicken or beef broth
- ½ teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
- ½ small onion, minced (½ cup)
- 2 cups Arborio rice (use dry measuring cup)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan-Reggiano cheese
- Salt to taste
Directions
- Heat the broth in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
- Transfer 1 cup of the broth to a small bowl, stir in the saffron, and set aside.
- Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large, deep, heavy skillet or a high-sided sauté pan. When the butter begins to foam, add the onion until pale yellow and soft (4-5 minutes).
- Add the rice and stir until it is well coated with butter and onion, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the wine and, when it is almost evaporated, add 1 cup of the hot broth (I use a large ladle).
- Cook and stir until most of that first cup of broth is absorbed.
- Continue cooking and stirring the rice, adding the broth 1 cup at a time. This should take about 15 minutes.
- Then add the broth with the saffron and continue cooking and stirring until most of the broth has been absorbed. The rice should be tender, but still firm to the bite (al dente, just like cooking pasta).
- Swirl in the remaining tablespoon of butter and half of the Parmesan cheese. Stir briskly until the butter and cheese are melted and the rice is creamy and still moist.
- Taste for more salt if needed. Serve the remaining cheese on the side.
This simple risotto dish can be served alone with a green salad or with any protein you might like. Once you are comfortable making this Italian classic, try some variations. Easy things to try are mixing in some baby peas (despite spouse protests), asparagus tips or some diced pancetta or bacon. For entertaining, top the finished risotto with beautiful sauteed scallops or a small crabcake.
A perfectly made risotto will transport you to Milan, thought by some to be the most elegant city in Italy. My mother, Rose, would likely agree.
If you like what we do, please support our work. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
