Risotto alla Milanese

A northern Italian classic, this creamy rice dish is simple yet luxurious – and gives comfort in every bite

📝 Ingredients

• 1 x 30g pack flat-leaf parsley
• 2 garlic cloves
• zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 60 g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large echalion shallot, finely chopped
• 300 g risotto rice
• 80 ml white wine (we used soave)
• 1.2 L hot chicken stock, made using 2 stock pots*
• large pinch of saffron threads
• 50 g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated, plus extra to serve

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Make the gremolata: roughly chop the parsley. Grate the garlic over the parsley and sprinkle over the lemon zest. Chop again very finely so everything melds together. Scrape into a bowl and combine with the lemon juice and oil. Season to taste, cover and set aside.
2. 2Melt half the butter with the oil in a wide sauté pan or deep frying pan over a medium-low heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 5-6 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the rice and continue to cook for a further minute, stirring everything together. Add the wine, turn up the heat to medium and let it bubble away until mostly evaporated. Reduce the heat to low.
3. 3Meanwhile, keep the stock warm in a saucepan over a low heat. Remove two ladles of the stock and combine with the saffron in a small bowl or jug. Set aside.
4. 4Add the stock in the saucepan to the rice a ladleful at a time, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. Keep doing this, stirring, until all the liquid has been added and absorbed. This will take about 20 minutes. Stir in the saffron-infused stock until combined but still a little brothy. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the remaining butter and Parmigiano Reggiano, seasoning to taste.
5. 5Serve immediately, or if you prefer a firmer risotto, cover and leave to sit for a few minutes. Top with the gremolata and extra cheese to serve. *Check your stock is gluten-free, if required.