Risotto alla milanese

I will never forget the impact Italy has had on how I experience food. As an American transplant in northern Italy at the ripe old age of 12, I was both delighted and maybe a little overwhelmed when I saw how traditions around food were so deeply entrenched in everyday life and with friends and family there. I remember one Easter in the mountains in the little village of Exilles, Turin. My sister, mother stepfather and I were treated to a 10-course meal (or so it seemed) by relatives of my stepfather’s brother-in law. At first, my sister and I were enthusiastic about all the fragrant dishes being magically sent out of that tiny mountain house kitchen. But then we realized that our eyes were so much bigger than our stomachs, as children do. We both turned to my mother with a look of bewilderment on our faces and almost chimed in unison “When will we be finished Mom?”

Now that I’m older and in my late forties, I look back on those days with much gratitude and more than a little nostalgia. I had the fortune of living in this lovely country, with its wonderful, kind-hearted people for ten years. Anywhere I went with my family, each region had a specialty. It could be the melt-in-your-mouth ‘Baci di Bardonecchia’ chocolate truffles from the town of the same name. We always scarfed an entire bag of them down whenever we visited Bardonecchia. They were so fresh! Well, that was our excuse anyway. Whether from this region of Piemonte or another, there are almost too many local specialties to list here. So I’ll get into my favorite, risotto alla milanese.

Risotto is the most wonderful comfort food when it comes to northern Italian cuisine. The delicate saffron flavor was something entirely new to my dull American palette. As was the Arborio rice. It’s hearty, robust rice you can really bite into, not instant rice, and certainly not Uncle Ben’s. Sorry, Uncle Ben! I remember my mother struggling a little at first to get this dish exactly right, as she patiently ladled a little bit of broth at a time while it was cooking. When it was finally ready, I settled in to enjoy the creamy, savory nature of it. In winter, it was especially wonderful to eat. The sauteed onions kept many a cold at bay. We lived in and around Milan and Como throughout our stay in Italy, and everywhere we went, risotto alla milanese was always a staple.

The recipe is simple enough, but as my mother learned, it does take time and patience. But it is so worth it!

Yield: serves 4

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (I like the brand Knorr)

• 1 tbsp. saffron threads

• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter

• 2 small yellow onions, minced

• 2 cups Arborio rice

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 1⁄2 cup grated Parmesan

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat stock and saffron in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium heat; keep warm. Heat butter in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions; cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add rice; cook until lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Add wine; cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add 1⁄2 cup warm stock; cook, stirring, until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding stock, 1⁄2 cup at a time, and cooking until absorbed before adding more, until rice is tender and creamy, about 16 minutes total. Stir in Parmesan; season with salt and pepper.

As you slowly add that ½ cup of stock at a time, focus on this dish with love, and imagine how happy your family and/ or friends will be with the result. Remember to sprinkle in lots of good conversation and wine.