Risotto Milanese (Saffron Risotto)

Risotto Milanese originated in Milan, where it’s the traditional accompaniment to ossobuco. Lombardy is the home of risotto, and my friend Alessandro Pavoni is the king of risotto making. He was born in Brescia in Lombardy and you haven’t tasted risotto until you’ve tasted his! This recipe is inspired by the way he taught me to make risotto (see video below). Risotto Milanese is one of the simplest and most delicious risottos – rich, aromatic and golden – it’s the perfect recipe to learn the basics of risotto making. Once you’ve mastered risotto Milanese you can create an endless variety of risottos – there’s a whole chapter dedicated to them in A Lombardian Cookbook which Alessandro and I co-wrote. Traditionally, if making risotto Milanese without the ossobuco, some bone marrow (available from good butchers) is stirred through it at the end with the butter and cheese, you can leave this out for a vegetarian version that still tastes delicious. In Italy, leftover risotto is never reheated – it would be overcooked and gluggy. It’s often made into rice balls, called arancini in the south and suppli in the north. In Lombardy it’s more often pan-fried into a crisp rice cake called risotto al salto. For risotto, most chefs prefer carnaroli rice to the more widely available arborio as it absorbs more liquid (therefore flavour) without splitting, and gives the creamiest result. Acquerello is the best carnaroli rice I know; it’s available in Australia through Lario Fine Foods.

Serves 2 as starter or 4 as a side dish

Ingredients

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock (4 cups/2¼ US pints)
80ml dry white wine (⅓ cup)
Pinch saffron threads
50g cold butter, diced (1¾oz/10 teaspoons)
1 golden shallot, very finely diced
Salt flakes, to taste
225g carnaroli rice (8oz/1 cup)
25g freshly grated Grana Padano (1oz)

Method

Place stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer, reduce heat to lowest setting and cover.
Add saffron to the wine and set aside.
Melt half the butter in a high-sided frying pan or large saucepan over a medium heat.
Add shallot and a good pinch of salt and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not coloured.
Add rice and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until very hot but not coloured; it should start to smell toasty.
Add a good pinch of salt, then saffron and wine and stir for a couple of minutes, until wine has been absorbed.
Add enough stock to cover the rice well. Scrape down the sides of the pan, but do not stir.
Shake the pan to combine the ingredients, reduce heat and leave rice to cook, without stirring, for 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally and adding more stock as necessary to keep the rice just covered. Adjust the heat, if necessary, so that the liquid is gently bubbling.
After 10 minutes, stir in another ladle of stock then stir continuously for about 7 minutes, until rice is al dente, adding more stock as each ladleful is absorbed.
If you run out of stock, add a little boiling water.
Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 1 minute.
Add Grana and remaining cold butter (keep it in the fridge until using) and, using a wooden spoon and shaking the pan, beat to create a creamy consistency, adding a little more stock if necessary to keep it fluid.
Taste and add salt if needed.
Spoon onto flat plates and tap them gently on a tea towel-covered work bench to flatten out the risotto.
Serve risotto Milanese immediately and eat from the outside of the plate towards the centre.