Saffron Risotto (alla Milanese)

Submitted by Zillah on Sun, 11/27/2005 - 1:37pm

Summary

Yield
Source	Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking for the proportions
Prep Time	45 minutes
Recipes	Grains and Beans

Description

Ingredients

450 arborio (or other Italian short grained) rice
1 glass dry white wine (optional)
1 onion, finely chopped
A little olive oil
45 g/1 1/2 oz butter, plus a tablespoon more added at the end
2 pt meat or vegetable stock
1 tsp saffron strands dissolved in 250ml/8fl oz lukewarm water
at least 6 tbspn parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper
450 arborio (or other Italian short grained) rice
1 glass dry white wine (optional)
1 onion, finely chopped
A little olive oil
45 g/1 1/2 oz butter, plus a tablespoon more added at the end
2 pt meat or vegetable stock
1 tsp saffron strands dissolved in 250ml/8fl oz lukewarm water
at least 6 tbspn parmesan cheese
salt and black pepper

Instructions

Put the stock into a saucepan and turn the heat low so that it's just simmering.

In a large saute pan or heavy bottomed saucepan melt the butter over a low heat. Add the olive oil and the onion. Cook the onion until it's soft and translucent (this takes about 15 minutes)

Add the rice and stir till the grains are coated with butter and oil. Add the wine and stir until it's bubbled away.

Add about 100ml/4fl oz stock to the rice and stir constantly until the liquid is absorbed. Keep adding the liquid a ladleful at a time, only adding more when the previous ladlefull has been absorbed. KEEP STIRRING!

After 15 minutes of this, add the saffron and water and continue cooking until the rice is tender, but with a very slight bite in the middle.

Take the rice off the heat and stir in the parmesan and the extra butter. Season with salt and pepper, but the cheese makes it pretty salty, so you won't need too much of that.

Serve at once, with extra grated parmesan if required.