Italy · Italian cuisine of Lombardy (Milan)
Risotto alla milanese
A creamy, golden saffron risotto of Carnaroli rice, enriched with bone marrow, butter and Grana Padano, with grains that stay tender and the rich, flowing texture the Milanese call all'onda.
Cookhuddle Editorial Cookhuddle | Italy
Editorial selection: recipes cross-checked against several documentary sources. They have not been tested in our kitchen: follow the precautions given and adapt times to your own oven.
Photo: Number55 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source · cropped
original Original text, written in English.
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- Servings
- 4
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 35 min
- Total
- About 50 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
Cuisine / tradition: Italian cuisine of Lombardy (Milan) (IT) — declared by the author
- Main dish
Ingredients
For 4 servings
- 320 g Carnaroli rice
- 20 g beef bone marrow, finely chopped (traditional)
- 60 g butter, in two equal parts
- 1 piece small white onion, very finely chopped
- 80 ml dry white wine
- 1.2 l hot beef broth
- 0.3 g saffron threads (about one sachet)
- 60 g Grana Padano, grated
- 1 pinch salt, if the broth needs it
Method
- Step 1. Bring the broth to a simmer in a saucepan and keep it just below the boil. Dissolve the saffron in a ladle of the hot broth in a small cup.
- Step 2. In a wide, heavy pan, melt 30 g of the butter with the marrow over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until the marrow has melted and changed colour.⏱ 4 min
- Step 3. Add the onion and cook very gently for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring, until it is soft and translucent but not coloured.⏱ 12 min
- Step 4. Add the rice and toast it for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until the grains are hot and translucent at the edges.⏱ 3 min
- Step 5. Pour in the wine and stir until it has completely evaporated, about 2 minutes.⏱ 2 min
- Step 6. Add the hot broth one ladle at a time, stirring often and waiting until each ladle has been almost absorbed before adding the next. After about 9 minutes, add the saffron broth. Cook for about 17 to 18 minutes in all, until the rice is al dente and the risotto is creamy and flowing (all'onda).⏱ 18 min
- Step 7. Take the pan off the heat. Add the remaining 30 g of butter and the Grana Padano and beat vigorously for 1 minute to bind the risotto (mantecare). Cover and rest for 1 minute, then serve at once on warm plates.⏱ 1 min
Story and cultural note
Risotto alla milanese is the saffron risotto of Milan and the classic accompaniment of ossobuco. Sources trace the dish to the 16th century, with a legend dating the first saffron rice to 1574, and agree on rice, saffron, butter and Grana Padano. The traditional version includes beef bone marrow; lighter modern versions leave it out, and then many cooks simply call it risotto allo zafferano. Sources differ on the broth (beef, or beef and capon, or oxtail) and on whether white wine is used.
Tips for success
Keep the broth hot throughout, so the rice never stops cooking. Add saffron halfway: its colour and aroma need a few minutes, not an hour. Stir often but do not whip the rice until the end. The final beating with butter and cheese, off the heat, is what makes it creamy.
Serving and presentation
Serve immediately in warm shallow bowls, spread flat so that the risotto ripples when the plate is tapped. Offer more Grana Padano at the table. Served with ossobuco, it is the classic Milanese pairing.
Diet and allergens
Information declared by the author. CookHuddle does not verify or certify it. If you have an allergy, check the ingredients yourself.
DietGluten-free
ContainsMilkSulphites
May contain traces ofCelery
