Risotto alla Milanese Class at Whole Foods

Well, on July 21, I taught patrons at Whole Foods how to make Risotto alla Milanese, a recipe I adapted from my mother and grandmother. The class went really well, and my risotto was by far the best I've made (if I do say so myself!). Where's the pictures, you ask? I forgot. I'm sorry. I know, I know, you want pictures. Can you forgive me? OK, thanks. Anyway, here's the recipe, and it's damn good.

Ciapponi Risotto alla Milanese

Serves 8

Ingredients:

12 cups chicken stock

¼ tsp saffron threads

I lb mushrooms, sliced

2 garlic gloves, crushed

1 ½ cup unsalted butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

4 cups aborio rice

1 glass dry white wine, such as pinot grigio

1 lb cooked chicken, shredded

2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano

Directions:

1.        In a large pot, bring chicken stock to a simmer over medium high heat. Do not boil.

2.       Once stock is simmering, remove 1 cup of stock, place in a small bowl and add saffron and cover.

3.       In a sauté pan set over medium heat, place mushrooms, 4 T butter and garlic. Sauté for 10-15 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned.

4.      In a wide-bottomed, rimmed pan set over medium heat, sauté onion, salt and pepper in 4 T butter until soft but not browned, about 15 minutes.

5.       Add rice and stir over medium to medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, or until the rice is translucent but not browned.

6.       Add the wine; reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring, until most of the wine is evaporated.

7.       Ladle about 1 cup of simmering stock to rice, and stir until most of the stock is evaporated.

8.       Continue to ladle the stock into the rice 1 cup at a time, as you stir – almost constantly – to cook and bring the starch out of the rice, for about 20-25 minutes.

9.       After 20 minutes, taste the rice for doneness.

10.  Once cooked to your desired texture, vigorously stir in Parmigiano and remaining 4 T butter.

11.   Stir in the chicken and mushrooms.

12. Cover and let sit for 3-4 minutes, and serve immediately.