From Scratch

One of my favorite moments of Top Chef Season 3 was when Chef Tom Colicchio, the head judge, explained to obnoxious Howie why his risotto was all wrong. He’d added cream to it and it was still so gluey it nearly stood up on its own like a timbale. Colicchio told him the creaminess should come from the rice itself and as Howie tried to justify making it his way, Colicchio cut him off saying, “It shouldn’t mound up on a plate. Risotto should almost run on a plate.”

That was the end of Howie.

I love risotto and could eat it every day. When I’m in Northern Italy I do. Milanese is my favorite and when I make it I am treating myself because it uses saffron, the most expensive spice on earth. It’s usually sold in one-gram vials, yielding about two teaspoons, for around ten dollars. Every economical bone in my body wishes I could tell you to leave it out, but I can’t. Not this time. It’s integral to the dish.

Saffron gives it its unique taste and, to a lesser degree, some yellow. I use less saffron than I should but even with the full amount, the risotto will not be the bright yellow it appears on boxes of mix. I suspect that type of Milanese is made with far less expensive powdered saffron, which is often cut with turmeric. For this recipe only real threads of saffron — the stigmas of crocus — will do.

This recipe is from an Italian-American friend and is the one I’ve always used, about twenty-five years now. Come to think of it, this was one of the first bits of real cooking I ever did. Arborio rice is easy to find these days — I buy it from a bulk bin — and its high starch content gives the dish its creaminess.

Risotto is a relaxing dish to make, standing at the stove for twenty minutes or so and stirring, mind wandering and listening to music. It can be made in a pressure cooker, and that’s one of the appliance’s chief selling points, but I prefer the stovetop way. It always comes out better, probably because I have complete control and can pull it off the heat at the perfect moment, when the rice is cooked but still able to almost run on the plate.

Risotto alla Milanese

3 - 4 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp saffron
3 TB unsalted butter, divided
1 small white onion, chopped fine
1 1/4 cups /8 1/2 oz /240g arborio rice
3/8 cup vermouth or other dry white wine
2 oz fresh-grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
salt, to taste

Heat broth in a saucepan until steaming hot. Put a small amount of hot broth in a little dish with the saffron to dissolve it. Set aside.

In a large saucepan or saucier, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter until foaming. Add onion and saute until golden. Add rice and stir to coat each grain, then add the wine. Stir constantly until the wine evaporates.

Add enough hot broth to cover the rice and stir constantly until all the broth is absorbed. Continue this way, adding 1 or 2 ladles at a time, until the rice is cooked but firm to the bite, about 15 or 20 minutes.

Add the broth with the saffron. Mix in the Parmesan cheese, remaining butter and salt to taste.

Serve immediately with more cheese shaved on top.

Serves 2 -3 as a main course or 4 as a first course.

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Tags: rice