Heat
the stock* till simmering in a separate saucepan. Heat the wine in small saucepan.
Steep the saffron in a small cup with a ladle of the stock.
Over medium heat in a large deep saucepan heat 2 Tbs of oil and 2 Tbs of butter. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes and then add the rice, cook 4 more minutes stirring constantly keeping control of the heat.
Add the wine and stir constantly till well absorbed. This will be quiet violent. Adjust the heat to a medium low heat. Heat is just more than a simmer, less than a fry.
Add simmering stock 200ml at a time, stirring till the liquid is well absorbed. Repeat till the rice is aldente, 20 minutes. Then add in the steeped saffron with another ladle of stock and cook till absorbed. Then stir in the parmesan cheese with 100ml of stock. When absorbed add the butter and (optional) truffle oil and stir 1 minute. Taste. If you used a good parmesan cheese then no added salt will be required. Put into a warmed dish and serve immediately. I have never added salt.
Saffron is a very delicate flavour that can easily be overpowered. Excess salt is the enemy. Parmesan cheese and the butter is all the saltiness required.
Never use a supermarket stock in this recipe. Just too salty. For the stock in this recipe I simmer 2 litres of water for an hour or more ahead of time with a corn cob, a potato and half an onion. No salt.
All the rices except long grain work. Aborio is the favourite. Each rice will deliver a slightly different texture. The larger the grain the easier it is to cook. If you use a short grain then pay real close attention. But the result can be amazing. More flavour per grain. ie a small grain has more surface area than a large grain, thus more flavour. After years of cooking this once a week I have settled into using a medium grain. For me more flavour with a good pearly texture. But if its your first try use Aborio. This is the easiest rice with which to achieve the required creamy and pearl like texture.
I don't get this new idea that a rissoto must be runny and served in a soup bowl. This is a rice soup, not a rissotto. Send it Back. It must be fluid but not liquid. And if you want to serve as an accompaniment or for the base of say a Pork O'Brian then liquid won't work. There is a point between liquid and gluggy that is correct.
Over medium heat in a large deep saucepan heat 2 Tbs of oil and 2 Tbs of butter. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes and then add the rice, cook 4 more minutes stirring constantly keeping control of the heat.
Add the wine and stir constantly till well absorbed. This will be quiet violent. Adjust the heat to a medium low heat. Heat is just more than a simmer, less than a fry.
Add simmering stock 200ml at a time, stirring till the liquid is well absorbed. Repeat till the rice is aldente, 20 minutes. Then add in the steeped saffron with another ladle of stock and cook till absorbed. Then stir in the parmesan cheese with 100ml of stock. When absorbed add the butter and (optional) truffle oil and stir 1 minute. Taste. If you used a good parmesan cheese then no added salt will be required. Put into a warmed dish and serve immediately. I have never added salt.
Saffron is a very delicate flavour that can easily be overpowered. Excess salt is the enemy. Parmesan cheese and the butter is all the saltiness required.
Never use a supermarket stock in this recipe. Just too salty. For the stock in this recipe I simmer 2 litres of water for an hour or more ahead of time with a corn cob, a potato and half an onion. No salt.
All the rices except long grain work. Aborio is the favourite. Each rice will deliver a slightly different texture. The larger the grain the easier it is to cook. If you use a short grain then pay real close attention. But the result can be amazing. More flavour per grain. ie a small grain has more surface area than a large grain, thus more flavour. After years of cooking this once a week I have settled into using a medium grain. For me more flavour with a good pearly texture. But if its your first try use Aborio. This is the easiest rice with which to achieve the required creamy and pearl like texture.
I don't get this new idea that a rissoto must be runny and served in a soup bowl. This is a rice soup, not a rissotto. Send it Back. It must be fluid but not liquid. And if you want to serve as an accompaniment or for the base of say a Pork O'Brian then liquid won't work. There is a point between liquid and gluggy that is correct.
½
Onion finely chopped
330g Rice (see note)
30ml peanut oil
30g butter
250ml Lambrussco white wine
2 litres clear stock very low salt*
2g Saffron Strands
50g Parmesan cheese
50g salted butter
1 Tbs Truffle oil (optional)
The amount of Saffron needed will be determined by the Saffron. The more expensive the less required. It seems to me the longer the stems the better the quality. Far too much saffron is barely enough!
Iranian saffron is great, Indian can be OK and Spanish is usually not that good.
The starch from the potato and corn in the stock will help achieve a very creamy texture and the onion will help with the saltiness without being overpowering.
330g Rice (see note)
30ml peanut oil
30g butter
250ml Lambrussco white wine
2 litres clear stock very low salt*
2g Saffron Strands
50g Parmesan cheese
50g salted butter
1 Tbs Truffle oil (optional)
The amount of Saffron needed will be determined by the Saffron. The more expensive the less required. It seems to me the longer the stems the better the quality. Far too much saffron is barely enough!
Iranian saffron is great, Indian can be OK and Spanish is usually not that good.
The starch from the potato and corn in the stock will help achieve a very creamy texture and the onion will help with the saltiness without being overpowering.
This is one of the very best meals you are ever going to eat.
Done right it turns rice into lobster. Its a miracle. However, it is very technical to get perfect.
Each grain of rice a perfect tasty morsel. So pay close attention.
Milanese rice is creamy with a pearl like texture. Let it cook dry once or get too hot on the bottom and the texture is ruined. Add too much stock at a time and it won't be as creamy. So constant attention is required. The real skill is getting the correct balance between the saffron and the saltiness of the parmesan and butter. Salt will quickly overpower the saffron so make your own very low salt stock. Start with less parmesan and add more to taste. Some parmesans can be quite salty and so less will be required. Remember the butter will also add salt at the end. Less salt is better than just a little too much salt, allowing the saffron flavour to shine.
Serve with roast chicken (or even better Turkey) as a stunning complete meal. I can say that eating saffron on a regular basis is good for ageing eyesight. Eating this dish is like eating chocolate. Just wonderful.
Milanese rice is creamy with a pearl like texture. Let it cook dry once or get too hot on the bottom and the texture is ruined. Add too much stock at a time and it won't be as creamy. So constant attention is required. The real skill is getting the correct balance between the saffron and the saltiness of the parmesan and butter. Salt will quickly overpower the saffron so make your own very low salt stock. Start with less parmesan and add more to taste. Some parmesans can be quite salty and so less will be required. Remember the butter will also add salt at the end. Less salt is better than just a little too much salt, allowing the saffron flavour to shine.
Serve with roast chicken (or even better Turkey) as a stunning complete meal. I can say that eating saffron on a regular basis is good for ageing eyesight. Eating this dish is like eating chocolate. Just wonderful.
Milanese Rice Recipe
Fabulous Saffron Recipe Great Taste and Texture
Click image
