This combination of Mediterranean and Persian flavors will seduce your dinner guests… it worked for Cleopatra!
During college, I worked as a server at the Faculty Club, the restaurant on UC Santa Barbara’s campus that overlooked the beautiful, stinking lagoon. I started out as catering waitstaff, then worked my way up from slow busser to confused expediter to rattled host and finally to a solid server. The place was a study in micromanagement, but I kept at it for three long years because you got a free meal every time you worked, and my student loans were already mounting. The Faculty Club served a ‘Risotto of the Day’, basically rotating between chicken and shrimp in a different type of cream sauce for lunch service. I always went for the chicken Caesar salad, but the risotto sold out most days.
Risotto entered the world from the rice fields of Italy, where it was particularly associated with the region of Lombardy. Legend has it that a glassblower’s apprentice from Veneranda Fabbrica del Duomo di Milano, a 600-year-old glass-blowing institution, took the saffron he used for staining glass and added it to a rice dish at a wedding feast. It was a hit.
Priced at around US$5,000 per kilogram, saffron has long been the world’s most expensive spice by weight. The golden herb has been traded for thousands of years and it’s said that Cleopatra used to perfume her baths with it. On a trip to Morocco years ago, I went to the massive souk, or market, in Casablanca, and bought a handful of the fragrant threads, excited to gift them to my gourmand mother. However, my mother’s cooking ranges more toward potato salad and lemon bars, and the stunning saffron sat and withered in her kitchen cabinet for the next few years until I finally dumped the flavorless strings in the trash. DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!
Today, Iran produces around 90% of the world’s saffron supply, harvesting around 450 tons of the seasoning annually. It has a delicate taste that has been described as subtly sweet, earthy and floral. Rice is the perfect vehicle for the sunset-colored spice, further heightened with butter, white wine and Parmesan. Saffron truly is the star of this dish, but the different components of onion, cheese and broth work together for this Milan-based version, a true classic of the Italian kitchen.
Is Risotto Milanese Healthy?
Risotto has been a staple of the Italian diet for over a century. Butter and cheese might initially scare off the diet-conscious, but the secret here is in the portions. Saffron has wonderful antioxidant properties, and low-sodium broth is a great substitute. Vegan butter and cheese have their benefits, but I recommend making the original recipe and eating a smaller portion combined with a fresh salad. Risotto is not a 4-night-a-week dinner, but an occasional splurge.
why arborio rice?
Arborio rice comes from the Po Valley, grown in the far northern Piedmont region of Italy. The rice grains are more round instead of oval and have a firm, creamy, chewy texture that blends well with other flavors. Arborio rice is the universal favorite for risotto and rice pudding.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth, low-sodium
- 1 large pinch saffron threads
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
Infuse saffron in broth; keep remaining broth warm.
Cook
Sauté onion, toast rice, deglaze with wine, and add broth gradually.
Finish
Stir in Parmesan cheese and butter for creaminess.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
Risotto is a dish that is best when served directly from the stovetop. The fresh combination of butter and Parmesan mixing with the marinade of wine, broth, onion and saffron is key to delicious flavor. Leftovers will reheat well after being stored in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
Unlock the full potential of saffron by “blooming”, or steeping, the herb before you add it to the recipe. Soak the saffron in a hot broth for 20 minutes before mixing into the rice. This will further enhance the beautiful golden color and heighten the aroma and flavor.
Serving Suggestions
To keep this meal on the lighter side, try a side salad with this delicious Mediterranean Salad Dressing. Or go full Italian and serve this Risotto Milanese as the primo piatto (first course) and serve this Slow Cooker Chicken with Zucchini Noodles as the secondo (second course).
Caution: this recipe may turn you into a risotto fanatic! If so, check out this one and this one, too. If saffron becomes your obsession, then try this recipe for Saffron Rice.
Risotto Milanese
Ingredients
- 6 cups chicken broth or vegetable broth low sodium
- 1 large pinch saffron threads
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt to taste
Instructions
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In a small bowl, soak the saffron threads in 1/2 cup of hot chicken broth to release their color and flavor.
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In a saucepan, keep the rest of the chicken broth warm over low heat.
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In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent.
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Add the Arborio rice to the pan and stir for about 2 minutes until the rice becomes slightly translucent.
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Pour in the white wine and stir until fully absorbed by the rice.
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Begin adding the hot chicken broth one ladle at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed. Add the saffron infusion halfway through this process.
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Continue adding broth until the rice is creamy and al dente. Remove from heat.
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Stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter until well incorporated and creamy. Season with salt to taste.
Nutrition
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