Risotto Milanese Recipes

Steps:

• For the osso buco: Sprinkle the veal with salt and pepper and heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Spread some flour on a plate, then dredge the veal in the flour on all sides and add to the oil. Brown well on both sides, 2 minutes a side. Remove to a plate.
• Add the onion, carrot and celery to the pot and cook, stirring, until the onion wilts, about 4 minutes. Stir in the rosemary and thyme. Add the white wine, increase the heat and boil until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, broth and bay leaves. Reduce the heat so that the liquid is simmering gently, and nestle in the veal. Add water, if necessary, to come three-quarters of the way up the sides of the meat. Cover and cook until the veal is tender and a paring knife inserted in the meat slides out easily (insert the knife in several pieces to make sure all are done), 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Remove the veal to a plate.
• Strain the sauce into a fat separator, pressing on the solids. Wipe out the Dutch oven. Pour the defatted sauce back into the Dutch oven and reduce over high heat until thickened and the sauce just coats the back of a spoon. Cut the strings on the osso buco and return the meat to the sauce. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm while you make the risotto.
• For the risotto Milanese: Combine the broth and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and add the saffron, then turn the heat very low to just keep warm. Heat a medium Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper; cook until softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Add the rice and cook, stirring, to coat the grains in the oil, about 2 minutes. Add the white wine, bring to a simmer and cook until absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add enough of the hot broth to just cover the rice. Simmer, stirring occasionally until almost totally absorbed. Continue to add broth and stir until the rice is creamy and al dente, about 18 minutes from the first addition. (The risotto will be a bit soupy at this point.)
• Remove from the heat. Stir in the butter and Parmesan until melted and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the gremolata: Combine the parsley, garlic and lemon zest in a small bowl.
• Spoon the risotto into 4 shallow wide bowls. Top each serving with a piece of osso buco and spoon the sauce over the top. Sprinkle with the gremolata.

Steps:

• Melt half of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Simmer the onion and beef marrow in the butter for about 10 minutes. When the onion is soft, remove the onion and marrow from the pan using a slotted spoon, and set aside. (I like to leave the onions in.)
• Saute the rice in the pan over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Stir constantly so the rice will not stick and burn. Stir in one ladle of beef stock, and keep stirring until it is mostly absorbed, ladling and stirring in more of the broth as well as the white wine in the same manner, until the rice is almost al dente. Stir in the saffron, remaining butter, and 3/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 4 or 5 minutes.
• Serve as a bed for ossibuchi or by itself with as much of the remaining Parmesan cheese sprinkled over as you like.

Steps:

• Heat butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Add shallots and saute over medium heat until soft but not brown. Stir in rice and cook for several minutes, until the rice is well coated with butter.
• Place the stock in another saucepan and keep it simmering.
• Dissolve the saffron in a little of the stock in a small dish and stir into the rice.
• Then, stirring the rice constantly, add the simmering stock, about one-half cup at a time, adding additional stock every few minutes as the rice absorbs it. After about 25 minutes, the rice should have absorbed most of the stock and be "al dente" and cohere in a creamy mass. Do not overcook the rice. Season to taste.
• Serve at once with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• In large heavy saucepan or skillet, soften shallots in butter. Add rice and cook over fairly high heat, stirring constantly, until grains turn opaque.
• Add dissolved saffron and wine and stir well to prevent rice from sticking to bottom of pan. When liquid has evaporated, add a ladle of hot broth. Repeat this procedure until rice is almost tender but firm. If you run out of stock, add warm water instead.
• Turn off heat and season risotto with salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese to taste. Serve immediately with more cheese passed separately.

Steps:

• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a heavy skillet. When it is bubbling, add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes; do not allow the onion to brown. Add the rice and stir it well with a spatula; do not allow it to color. Be certain that the onion and rice are well coated with the butter. Add the wine and let it almost cook away. Start to add stock, a cup at a time. Let each cup of stock cook away before adding more. As the rice becomes tender, stir it with a fork to keep it from sticking to the pan. Add salt and a touch of saffron. When the rice is done, stir in the remaining 2-3 tablespoons of butter and a little grated Parmesan cheese. Serve at once. This is usually offered as a first course in Italy but may be served with certain meats, if you wish, or as a main course at luncheon.
• Variations
• Before adding the wine, add 4-5 slices poached marrow.
• Add a little dry sherry, about 1/3 cup, to the risotto when you add the stock. If you are serving the risotto with a veal or chicken dish, use hot tomato juice instead of stock and add a little chopped basil.
• Garnish the cooked risotto with thinly sliced white truffles.