Milanese saffron risotto

Ingredients

• 300 gBeef knee with cartilage and sinew
• 300 gBeef short ribs
• 300 gVeal rack bones
• 2Veal ossobuco bones with marrow
• 50 gKidney fat
• 100 gPotatoes
• 50 gCarrots
• 50 gCelery
• 100 gGolden onions
• 100 gWhite wine
• 1 gWhole black peppercorns
• 1/2 gGround nutmeg
• 2 leavesBay leaves
• 5 gSage
• 4 gFine salt
• 2 lWater
• 1Cinnamon stick
• 250 gSant'Andrea rice
• 0.3 gSaffron threads
• 1Golden onion
• 4 gFine salt
• 100 gWhite wine
• 125 gGrana Padano PDO, for grating
• 100 gButter, straight from the fridge

Instructions

1. 1

   Blanch the meat

   To begin the stock, put the beef knee, short ribs and veal rack bones into boiling water. Once it comes back to the boil, cook for about 1 minute, then drain.

2. 2

   Rinse the bones

   Rinse the meat and bones thoroughly under running water. Rinse the ossobuco bones too, then leave them under a continuous stream of water for 20 minutes. Do the same with the kidney fat to purify it.

3. 3

   Prepare vegetables

   Wash and cut the onion, carrots and celery into large pieces.

4. 4

   Cut the potato

   Cut the potato into pieces, as you did the other vegetables. Cut the kidney fat into pieces as well, add it to a large hot pan and stir.

5. 5

   Brown the bones

   When the fat begins to melt, add the chopped vegetables and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the bones and brown over a high heat for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Deglaze with the white wine and let it evaporate.

6. 6

   Season the stock

   Add the cinnamon stick, 1 g of peppercorns, ground nutmeg, bay leaves, sage and a pinch of salt.

7. 7

   Simmer the stock

   Pour in 2 litres of water and cook for at least 4 hours at a gentle simmer; do not skim it during cooking. At the end, wait a few minutes, then lift the fat from the surface with a skimmer.

8. 8

   Strain the stock

   Keep the skimmed fat in a small bowl for later. Strain the stock into a pan and keep it hot. Break the saffron threads into a small bowl, add a ladleful of strained stock and leave them to rehydrate for about 20 minutes.

9. 9

   Prepare the onion

   Finely chop the onion for the risotto, making the pieces about the size of a grain of rice. Put 70 g of the fat collected from the stock in a heavy-based pan and let it reduce slightly to evaporate excess water.

10. 10

    Soften the onion

    Add the chopped onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until soft. Season with salt to taste. Bring the ossobuco to a simmer in the hot strained stock for about 10 minutes.

11. 11

    Toast the rice

    Add the rice to the softened onion, stir quickly and toast for about 2 minutes. Deglaze with the white wine, stirring carefully so the grains do not break. Add one third of the hot stock, then continue cooking and add more stock as needed.

12. 12

    Cook with saffron

    Cook for about 10 minutes, adjusting for the rice variety; Sant'Andrea rice takes about 11 minutes. Stir in the dissolved saffron. If the risotto seems too dry, add a little more stock.

13. 13

    Remove the marrow

    Lift the ossobuco out of the stock and use a small knife to remove the hot marrow.

14. 14

    Stir in cheese

    Take the risotto off the heat, add the marrow and stir until it melts. Add the grated Grana Padano PDO and stir again.

15. 15

    Finish and serve

    Add the 100 g of very cold butter in pieces and stir until melted, working the risotto until it flows in the all'onda style. Serve immediately.

What is Milanese saffron risotto?

Risotto alla Milanese is a saffron-scented first course from Lombardy, in northern Italy. This version gets much of its depth from a stock made with beef and veal bones, vegetables and herbs.

Marrow and cold butter are stirred in at the end, giving the rice a rich, flowing finish. The recipe is best suited to a day when you can allow several hours for the stock.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 547 calories, 0g protein, 53g carbs, 30g fat.

The rice supplies most of the carbohydrates, while kidney fat, marrow and butter contribute much of the fat. The meat and bones flavour the stock, and Grana Padano adds some protein; serve a modest portion alongside vegetables or salad to balance the meal.

The stock sets the flavour

Blanching and rinsing: the meat and bones are briefly blanched, then rinsed well. The ossobuco bones and kidney fat are also rinsed under running water for 20 minutes.

Slow simmer: cook the stock gently for at least 4 hours, rather than letting it boil hard. The recipe says not to skim during cooking; the surface fat is collected at the end and saved for the risotto.

Choose the rice and saffron carefully

Sant'Andrea rice: this is the variety specified, and the recipe gives a cooking time of about 11 minutes for it. Other rice may need a different amount of time, so follow the grains’ texture as well as the clock.

Saffron threads: soak them in a ladleful of hot strained stock for about 20 minutes before stirring them into the rice. This helps distribute the saffron through the risotto.

Toast and cook the grains

Toasting: stir the rice with the softened onion for about 2 minutes before adding wine. Handle it gently when deglazing so the grains stay intact.

Adding stock: begin with one third of the hot stock, then add more as the rice needs it. The recipe gives about 10 minutes as a guide, or about 11 minutes for Sant'Andrea rice.

Marrow and butter make the finish

Marrow: simmer the ossobuco bones in hot stock for about 10 minutes, then remove the hot marrow with a small knife. Stir it into the risotto off the heat so it melts into the rice.

Cold butter: add it in pieces at the end and stir until melted. The all'onda finish should be soft and flowing rather than stiff.

Serve it straight away

Timing: the stock needs at least 4 hours, and the saffron needs about 20 minutes to rehydrate; the rice itself cooks quickly. Keep the strained stock hot so it is ready to add as the risotto cooks.

Serving: bring the risotto to the table as soon as it is finished, while it still flows. A simple green salad or lightly cooked vegetables make a fresh accompaniment to its richness.

Recipe notes & tips

• Keep the stock at a gentle simmer for its long cooking time.
• Save the skimmed fat as directed; it is used to soften the risotto onion.
• Keep the strained stock hot while cooking the rice.
• Soak the saffron threads for the full 20 minutes before adding them.
• Add stock gradually and judge the risotto by its texture as well as the stated cooking time.
• Stir in the cold butter off the heat and serve the risotto immediately.

Variations

• More saffron: Use a little extra for a stronger saffron flavour.
• Different rice: Try another risotto rice, allowing for its own cooking time.
• Vegetable side: Serve with lightly cooked seasonal vegetables for contrast.
• Cheese finish: Add extra grated Grana Padano at the table.
• Stock shortcut: Use a prepared beef stock when you cannot make the long-simmered version.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Boiling the stock hard: Keep it at a gentle simmer for the stated cooking time.
• Skipping the rinsing: Rinse the blanched meat, ossobuco bones and kidney fat thoroughly.
• Overcooking the onion: Soften it gently for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
• Adding cold stock: Keep the strained stock hot before adding it to the rice.
• Breaking the grains: Stir carefully when deglazing with wine.
• Serving it late: Finish with butter and serve as soon as the risotto is flowing.

How to store

Risotto is best eaten immediately. Refrigerate any leftovers in a covered container and use within 2 days; reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water or stock, stirring until hot.

Frequently asked questions