Risotti (Risottos)
Risotto is a main course at an Italian dinner (pranzo) or supper (cena). Basically, a risotto is cooked thus. Onion or garlic is sautéed in butter and/or olive oil. Then the rice is sautéed for three minutes. Other ingredients are added, after which either chicken or beef broth, heated to a boil, is added cup by cup, constantly stirring, until the rice absorbs all the liquid. This takes about eighteen minutes. Arborio rice imported from Italy must be used because it has the ability to absorb much liquid and to become creamy in consistency but still remain al dente (firm to the bite).
Risotto Saporito al Gorgonzola
(FLAVORFUL GORGONZOLA CHEESE RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
I will not go into a treatise on the pungent, mouthwatering, and hearty aspects of Gorgonzola cheese. Suffice it to say that the recipe takes full advantage of all the virtues of this precious cheese. Gorgonzola has an adult, full flavor; but I’ve seen Italian kids spreading it on toasted bread for an afterschool snack.
1 small onion, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups Arborio rice
2 tablespoons dry white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
5 ounces Gorgonzola cheese
3 tablespoons light cream
2 large tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Sauté onion in one tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a large saucepan on moderate heat for five minutes. Add rice, stir for two minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Season with salt and pepper. Now add hot beef stock, cup by cup, constantly stirring until all broth is absorbed by the rice (about eighteen minutes). Place Gorgonzola and remaining butter in bowl of food processor fitted with a steel blade and process for one minute. Remove the saucepan from the stove, incorporate the cream, the food-processed cheese and butter, and the grated cheese. Mix well. Let rest two minutes, then serve.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
GATTINARA, NEBBIOLO D’ALBA
Risotto alla Cavour
(CAVOUR’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Camillo Cavour was a prime mover in the movement for the unification of Italy as a modern nation. He, along with Mazzini and Garibaldi, finally freed the Italian peninsula from foreign domination and Italy became a nation under its first king, Victor Emmanuel II of Savoy. This flavorful risotto is named in honor of Camillo Cavour.
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 large peeled clove garlic, crushed
1 6½-ounce can of tuna packed in olive oil, flaked (use the drained oil to sauté the other ingredients)
2 ribs celery, diced small
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste, dissolved in ½ cup dry white wine (I use either Pinot Grigio or dry vermouth)
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
In a large saucepan on gentle heat, sauté parsley, garlic, tuna, and celery in oil from can of tuna for eight minutes. Add vinegar, cook for three minutes. Add tomato paste dissolved in wine and, constantly stirring, cook until wine evaporates. Stir in rice. Add hot stock, cup by cup, constantly, stirring, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in butter. Cover and let rest for two minutes. Serve immediately. (No grated cheese, please.)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
ARNEIS, RIBOLLA GIALLA
Risotto alla Rustica
(PEASANT LADY’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
This very simple and tasty risotto probably got its name from the fact that farmworkers in Italy, even to this day, always cultivate their own little gardens from which they harvest their own fresh crops. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could grow your own scallions, garlic, rosemary, marjoram, parsley, basil, and tomatoes? Your cooking would take on a fresher more genuine flavor. However, our truck farms do a very suitable job supplying us with what we need to cook superbly. I like New Jersey–grown veggies, after all, I am a New Jerseyan.
1 large scallion
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 fresh rosemary sprig, leaves only
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
6 fresh basil leaves
Pinch dried marjoram (1⁄8 teaspoon)
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
4 fresh small tomatoes, peeled and squeezed through your fingers
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons light cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Wash the scallion, rosemary, parsley, and basil. Dry with paper towel. Mince the fresh vegetables along with the garlic. Melt one tablespoon of butter in olive oil on gentle heat in a large saucepan. Sauté the aromatic mince and marjoram for five minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add crushed tomatoes. Cook eight minutes. Add hot chicken broth, cup by cup, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Season with salt and pepper. During the last two minutes of cooking rice, add 1 tablespoon butter, cream, and grated cheese. Transfer to warmed serving bowl and bring to table. You may want to provide more grated cheese to pass separately.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
PINOT GRIGIO, GEWÜRZTRAMINER
Risotto Giallo con Peperoni
(YELLOW RISOTTO WITH PEPPERS)
SERVES 4
Saffron is a very strong seasoning that has been used in the culinary arts for centuries. Saffron is the dried stigma of the blossoms of Crocus sativus, a plant native to Asia Minor and grown widely in Europe. Each of the tiny stigmas must be gathered by hand and it takes thousands to make an ounce. This explains why it is the most costly spice in the world. However, a little pinch will permeate a dish with its lovely, strong scent and give it a beautiful yellow color. I had this wonderful risotto while visiting Stresa, a jewel of a village on the shore of Lake Maggiore at the feet of the towering Alps.
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienned
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock (reserve 2 tablespoons)
1 small package saffron (Badia brand, 0.008 gram)
10 pitted, ripe black olives, cut into rings
2 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
12 fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Melt butter in oil in a large saucepan on gentle heat. Sauté onion and garlic eight minutes. Add julienned green and yellow bell peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for five minutes. Add rice. Stir three minutes. Add wine and adjust heat to low. Add boiling hot broth, cup by cup, stirring constantly, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). During last five minutes of cooking, add black olive rings and saffron dissolved in two tablespoons reserved hot broth. Remove from heat. Stir in chopped fresh herbs. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Stir vigorously. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. Squisito! (Exquisite!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BARBARESCO, MEDIUM-BODIED AGLIANICO
Risotto con Peperoni e Melanzane
(RED BELL PEPPER AND EGGPLANT RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
The eggplant1 is much appreciated all over Italy. But in the north it rarely appears at the table, while in the south it is used in many recipes. When I was researching its botanical origins, I was shocked to discover it is a berry. Imagine. An eggplant is a huge berry. It goes well with tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and rice. One evening I was invited to Ristorante Stendahl in the village of Collorno, a suburb of Parma. Parma is in Northern Italy. To my surprise, we were served this outrageous risotto. Then the chef came out to meet us. He was born and raised in Messina, Sicily. All at once I understood; Sicilians love eggplant. Wait until you taste this beauty.
1 large red bell pepper
1 large eggplant, unpeeled
1 large scallion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley
6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
Wash the red pepper. Cut in half, discard seeds and pith. Cut into 1-inch ribbons. Wash the eggplant. Cut into small cubes, place in a colander, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of salt and leave in sink for ½ hour to leach out its bitter liquid. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in olive oil in a large saucepan. On moderate heat sauté scallion for five minutes. Add red pepper ribbons and eggplant cubes (after having rinsed them, squeezed them, and dried them with paper towels). Stir and sauté them for eight minutes on high heat. Adjust heat to moderate. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add hot broth, cup by cup, until rice absorbs all of the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of butter, the chopped parsley and basil, grated cheese, and the cream. Mix well and remove from heat. Cover and let stand for two minutes. Transfer to warmed serving bowl and bring to table. Fantastico! (Fantastic!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
ALBANA DI ROMAGNA, PINOT NOIR/NERO
Risotto alla Moda Dalamata
(DALMATIAN-STYLE RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Dalmatia in the former Yugoslavia was once an integral territory of the Kingdom of Italy. It lies directly across the Italian peninsula on the Adriatic Sea. Ethnically, the Dalmatian people are Slavic, but their culture and cuisine are heavily influenced by Italy. I sampled this risotto in an Italian restaurant in the fascinating city of Dubrovnik.
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, minced
4 ounces lean beef, julienned
1 sweet Italian sausage, skinned and crumbled
4 ounces lean veal, julienned
Pinch salt
½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 shot plum brandy or cognac
15 ounces long-grain rice
1½ quarts boiling hot beef stock
½ teaspoon dry rosemary, crushed
In a large saucepan, heat one tablespoon butter and oil on moderate heat. Sauté onion five minutes. Add beef and sausage. Stir and sauté for ten minutes. Add veal and cook another fifteen minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and add brandy. Add rice, stir, and cook for three minutes. Add hot broth, cup by cup, stirring constantly, until rice absorbs all of the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Remove from heat. Mix in remaining tablespoon of butter and rosemary. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
REFOSCO, PRIMITIVO
Risotto con Fave e Bietole
(FAVA BEAN AND BEET RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
I first tasted this hearty risotto on a cold, foggy day in Brescia (the birthplace of Pope Paul VI) in the region of Lombardy. It was very tasty and helped ward off the chill of the day.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon white lard or fatback, minced (may be omitted)
1 large white onion, thinly sliced
1 16-ounce can or jar of small beets packed in water, drained, washed under cold running water, and dried
5 ounces of jarred or canned fava or broad beans, drained and dried
Salt and pepper
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
1 heaping tablespoon of Pecorino Romano cheese
Heat oil, butter, and lard (if using it) in a large saucepan on gentle heat. Sauté onion five minutes. Add the beets, fava beans, season with salt and pepper and stir. Add the rice and stir three minutes. Add wine, adjust heat to high, and cook until wine evaporates (about three to five minutes). Return heat to moderate. Add boiling hot broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring with wooden spoon, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Sprinkle with grated cheese. Mix well and transfer to deep serving bowl. Mangia, è molto buono! (Eat, it’s very good!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BARBERA, BONARDA/NEBBIOLO BLEND
Risotto del Boscaiolo
(WOODMAN’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Boscaiolo means woodsman, a man who makes his living off the products of the forests of Italy: raw lumber, forest animals, and of course the wild, earthy mushrooms that are gathered from the decaying debris of the forest floors. Whenever an Italian recipe is named boscaiolo, you can be sure it is full of succulent mushrooms. This risotto is redolent of wild mushrooms and is mouthwatering to any fungiphile (mushroom lover).
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, minced
1 large peeled clove garlic, minced
2 ounces mortadella or boiled ham, julienned
10 ounces ordinary white mushrooms, sliced
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in hot water for ½ hour, drained, washed, and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart boiling hot beef broth
2 tablespoons light cream
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Pinch of marjoram (½ teaspoon)
2 tablespoons grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
In a large saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in butter on moderate heat for five minutes. Add mortadella or ham, stir and cook for two minutes. Add sliced white mushrooms. Sauté on high heat for three minutes, lower heat to gentle and add chopped porcini mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Stir. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add hot broth, cup by cup, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes of constant stirring). Add cream, cheese, parsley, and marjoram. Stir vigorously. Remove from heat. Let rest covered for two minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to the table. Italians prefer not to sprinkle with grated cheese.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
CHIANTI CLASSICO, VINO NOBILE DI MONTEPULCIANO
Risotto con Lattuga
(RISOTTO WITH LETTUCE)
SERVES 4
This recipe comes from Fulvia Sessani of Venice, Italy. This is a very rich dish indeed because of the cream and eggs. But once in a while we all need a respite from retreating from animal fat and avoiding cholesterol. Splurge and enjoy!
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pound Arborio rice
2⁄3 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart simmering stock (chicken or beef)
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced
2⁄3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup light cream
2 egg yolks
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion, then sauté until transparent. Add the rice and stir until it gets shiny. On a high heat, add the wine and stir until it evaporates. Next, on moderate heat, add the broth a little at a time, and stir constantly.
After about ten minutes add the lettuce and cook, stirring, for ten minutes more, until most of the liquid is absorbed by the rice. Add the cream and the yolks, whisk in, and serve.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
SOAVE, SAUVIGNON BLANC
Risotto ai Funghi Marinati Nello Spumante
(MUSHROOMS MARINATED IN DRY CHAMPAGNE RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Now this is an impressive risotto that should be served at New Year’s Eve dinner. Let everyone else have their prime ribs au jus and mashed potatoes. You serve something very special and your guests will make a New Year’s resolution to make this risotto for the people they love. Of course, you must serve the risotto with glasses of chilled champagne.
1 pound cultivated white mushrooms (crimini, if you’re splurging); 2 days before you make this risotto, wipe the mushrooms clean. Slice them not too thinly. Put them in a plastic food container with a tight fitting lid. Cover with champagne 1 inch over the tops of the mushrooms. Snap on the lid and refrigerate for the 2 days.
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large clove of peeled garlic, whole
1 large jalapeño pepper (split lengthwise, seeded and ribbed—but be sure to use rubber gloves!)
1½ cups Arborio rice
1½ quarts boiling hot beef stock
1 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon butter
4 heaping tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Heat oil in a large saucepan over moderate heat. Drain the mushrooms, reserving the liquid. Sauté garlic and hot pepper until garlic is very brown. Remove garlic and hot pepper. Add drained, marinated mushrooms and cook them on low heat until they are almost dry. Add rice and stir three minutes. Add reserved champagne marinade and reduce it to three quarters of its volume. Add hot broth, cup by cup, until rice almost absorbs all the liquid, stirring constantly—about eighteen minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and butter. Add grated cheese. Stir well. Transfer to warmed serving bowl and bring to table. Pop the cork off your best champagne. Salute. Buon appetito! (To your health and good appetite!)
Risotto Primavera
(SPRINGTIME RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Obviously this risotto is prepared with tender springtime veggies. It is very nourishing and substantial. I sampled this recipe one Easter season I spent in Italy, and of course had to get the recipe. I’m glad I did. Now I can share it with you.
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces Italian sweet sausage, skinned and crumbled
1 artichoke, peel off outer leaves, pare to the heart, and julienne
7 ounces shelled peas, fresh or frozen (fully thawed)
2 small carrots, peeled and diced small
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
1 tablespoon butter
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan, sauté onion in olive oil on moderate heat for five minutes. Add sausage and cook for five minutes. Add artichoke, peas, carrots, and seasoning. Cook, stirring, for five minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add the hot beef stock all at one time. Stir for eighteen minutes. Stir in butter, sprinkle with parsley and grated cheese. Cover and let rest for two minutes. Pour into serving bowl and bring to table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
CIRÒ CLASSICO, MONTEPULCIANO D’ABRUZZO
Risotto con Rognoni
(VEAL KIDNEY RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Most Americans avoid organ meats such as kidneys, liver, heart, brains, and sweetbreads. Europeans eat them heartily and consider them delicacies. Be brave! Try this dish and you may change your mind. If you’re not brave, substitute Italian sausage for the kidneys.
5 ounces veal kidneys, sliced thinly, or
5 ounces Italian sweet sausage, skinned and crumbled, browned well and drained
½ celery rib, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 ounce pancetta or regular bacon
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red bell pepper, seeded, pith removed, and julienned
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons shelled peas, fresh or frozen
1 quart beef stock, very hot
1 small package saffron (Badia brand is great and only costs about $2.49)
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a small nonstick skillet, sauté the kidneys on high heat until they release their liquid and are dry. Wash in warm water, and dry them with paper towels (skip the previous step if using sausage). Set aside. In a large saucepan, place celery, onion, pancetta, oil, and red bell pepper. Cook on gentle heat until everything begins to brown (about eight minutes). Stir in the slices of kidney or sausage. Cook for ten minutes, add salt and pepper, and one tablespoon of butter. Add rice and continuously stir for five minutes. Add wine, adjust heat to moderate, and cook until wine evaporates. Add the peas, stir, and begin to add the broth, a cup at a time, until the rice absorbs most of the liquid. After ten minutes of cooking and stirring, add saffron dissolved in two tablespoons of the hot broth. When twenty minutes have elapsed, the risotto will be ready. Add the rest of the butter and grated cheese. Cover and let rest for two minutes. Pour into a deep serving dish and bring to table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BARBERA D’ASTI, BARBARESCO
Risotto con Carciofi e Noci
(ARTICHOKE AND NUT RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
In Southern Italy, most families have their main meal at about one o’clock in the afternoon. All the shops and offices close from 1 P.M. to 4 P.M. Mimy (Domenica) La Bozzetta Giovanella, my surrogate mamma Marietta’s oldest daughter, invited me to dinner one afternoon at 2 P.M. She told me to come early so that she could teach me this risotto. I am grateful that she did, otherwise, I wouldn’t have this knockout recipe for you.
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
4 canned artichoke hearts packed in water, julienned
2 tablespoons marsala (dry) wine
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
15 shelled walnuts (should weigh about 9 ounces)
Salt and pepper to taste
3 heaping tablespoons cream cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
In a large saucepan on low heat, melt one tablespoon of butter in olive oil. Sauté minced onion for five minutes. Add artichokes, cook gently another five minutes. Add marsala wine; adjust heat to high and evaporate wine (about three minutes). Lower heat to moderate. Add rice. Stir three minutes. Add hot broth, cup by cup, until each is absorbed by the rice, stir constantly until all the liquid has been absorbed. Chop the nuts coarsely. Season the risotto with salt and pepper and shut off the heat. In a bowl, whip cream cheese, grated cheese, and chopped walnuts. Add the whipped cheese–nut mixture to the risotto. Stir vigorously. Add remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir. Cover and let stand two minutes. Transfer to warmed serving bowl and garnish with minced parsley. Serve immediately. Squisito! (Exquisite!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
SAUVIGNON BLANC, PINOT NOIR/NERO
Risotto al Radicchio
(RADICCHIO RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Radicchio is a slightly bitter red lettuce originally grown on farms and gardens surrounding the city of Treviso in the region of Veneto. Now that it is grown in the United States it has become less expensive and more available. It is terrific in a mixed salad and can be coated with olive oil and grilled. Radicchio makes the risotto very pretty and very scrumptious. Yes, radicchio is still expensive, but a little goes a long way.
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 large scallion, white bulb and green tops, sliced thin
2 heads radicchio, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons light cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
In a large saucepan, heat oil and 2 tablespoons of butter on gentle heat. Sauté scallion for 5 minutes. Add radicchio and cook for ten minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add wine and cook until evaporated. Add hot broth, cup by cup, stirring constantly until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Add cream, grated cheese, parsley, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Mix well. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand two minutes. Pour into warm serving bowl and bring to table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
LUGANA DEL VENETO, GRECO DI TUFO
Risotto con Carote e Piselli
(CARROT AND PEAS RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
I was sure that you have noticed by now that many of these recipes combine peas and rice. I really prefer to buy fresh peas and shell them myself, but the season for fresh peas is very short. Frozen peas are available throughout the year and come very close to tasting like fresh. I never use canned peas. They are too soft and lack the taste and texture of either fresh or frozen peas.
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium carrots, diced small
1 large peeled clove garlic, minced
1 ounce prosciutto or boiled ham
2 bay leaves
7 ounces frozen peas, completely thawed
2 canned, peeled Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
1 heaping tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons light cream or half-and-half
Melt butter in oil in large saucepan on gentle heat. Adjust heat to moderate and add carrots, celery, garlic, onion, and prosciutto. Sauté for eight minutes. Add bay leaves and peas. Cook for one minute. Add tomatoes. Cook for five minutes. Add rice and stir three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates (about five minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Add hot stock, cup by cup, constantly stirring with wooden spoon, until rice absorbs almost all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Remove bay leaves. Sprinkle with grated cheese. Stir. Add the cream. Stir vigorously. Transfer to a deep serving bowl and bring to table. You may provide grated Parmesan for those who desire it.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
SANGIOVESE DI ROMAGNA, DOLCETTO D’ALBA
Risotto del Convento
(MONASTERY RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
In Frosinone, a town in the region of Campania, I was invited to visit the Monastery of Casamari. It was built on the summit of a mountain overlooking the town over seven hundred years ago. It belongs to the Cistercian order of monks and is self-sufficient. The white and black habited monks raise all their own food and run a huge distillery that produces unparalleled liqueurs sold to the public. I was the guest of the abbot-general and was given the rooms that the Pope uses when he visits. I was impressed at being welcomed like a brother. I was even more impressed that evening when I tasted this risotto.
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
7 ounces small fresh beets, peeled and julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, pith removed, halved, and julienned
1 leek, white bulb only, quartered, washed well, dried and thinly sliced
1 heart of romaine lettuce, washed, dried, and julienned
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
1 tablespoon grated Swiss cheese
2 paper-thin slices Swiss cheese, julienned
Melt butter in oil in a large saucepan on gentle heat. Sauté beets, bell pepper, leek, lettuce, for 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add rice and stir 3 minutes. Add wine, adjust heat to high and cook until wine evaporates. Adjust heat to moderate. Add hot stock, cup by cup, stirring constantly until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in grated and julienned cheese. Stir vigorously. Cover and let rest two minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. Benedetto! (Blessed!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
MERLOT, CANNONAOU DI SARDEGNA
Risotto con Piselli e Carciofi
(PEAS AND ARTICHOKE RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
For this recipe I use frozen artichoke hearts because they most resemble the fresh. I tasted this risotto at a restaurant named Alla Vedova (“at the widow’s”) in Udine, the capital of the region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. The widow was there, boy was she there! She ran the whole place by herself. She cooked, served, and cleaned up. She was not a “merry widow” until I talked to her in my Calabrian-accented Italian. She broke out in a broad, genuine smile and spoke to me in the Calabrian dialect. She was born and raised in Pellaro di Reggio Calabria only one mile south of my mom and pop’s hometown. She sat down and ate with me and shared a bottle of Cirò (the classic wine from Calabria). I made a friend who insisted that no paisano could pay the bill. It was on her. Thank you, Filomena Laganà.
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small white onions, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced
7 ounces frozen peas, completely thawed
4 frozen artichoke hearts, completely thawed and julienned
1 chicken bouillon cube, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
½ pound mozzarella cheese, cubed
¼ cup chopped fresh mint leaves
In a large saucepan, melt butter in oil on gentle heat. Sauté onions and garlic for five minutes. Add peas and artichokes. Stir and cook for five minutes. Sprinkle crumbled bouillon cube on the mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley. Add rice and stir three minutes. Adjust heat to high. Add wine and cook until it evaporates (three minutes). Adjust heat to low. Add hot broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring until all the broth is absorbed (about eighteen minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in mozzarella cheese and mint. Cover and let rest two minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BIANCO DI GIALLA (FRIULI), REISLING ITALICO
Risotto con Melanzane e Prezzemolo
(EGGPLANT AND PARSLEY RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Eggplant is a marvelous, tangy meat substitute for the vegetarian or non-vegetarian. We’re not going to get into a religious argument here. Some vegetarians, or vegans (stricter fundamentalists who avoid any animal products such as eggs or dairy), are as fanatical about their beliefs as some Christians, Jews, and Moslems are about theirs. This tasty risotto is for everyone, regardless of belief systems. Please don’t get so serious. It will bother your digestion.
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 medium eggplants, peeled and diced small
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
1 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
Pinch of oregano
2 heaping tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, melt butter in oil on gentle heat. Sauté onion and garlic eight minutes. Add eggplant cubes, stir, and cook for eight more minutes. Add rice and stir three minutes. Add wine, adjust heat to high, and cook until wine evaporates. Adjust heat to low and add hot stock, cup by cup, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes of constant stirring). Near the end of this cooking time, add parsley, oregano, and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Stir vigorously and transfer to a deep serving bowl. Bring to table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
PINOT GRIGIO, CHARDONNAY
Risotto con Verdure Miste
(MIXED GREENS RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
This is one of my favorite risotti because I love vegetables. Over the years, after living in rectories (homes for unwed Fathers), this Father got bored with meat and potatoes for supper almost every night. Sometimes the cook would serve potatoes and meat just for a change. I now try to avoid red meats, not because the American Heart Association suggests it, but because I’ve lost my taste for it.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 bunch broccoli di rape (broccoli rabe), washed thoroughly and chopped
2 zucchini, skin on and diced
½ green bell pepper, seeded, pithed, and diced
1 medium carrot, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
3 tablespoons frozen peas, thawed
1½ cups Arborio rice
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups boiling hot chicken stock
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
In a large saucepan, melt one tablespoon of butter in oil on gentle heat. Sauté onion, scallions, broccoli rabe, zucchini, bell pepper, carrot, celery, and peas for eight minutes. Add rice and season with salt and pepper. Stir for five minutes. Add all the stock. Adjust heat to low. Simmer covered for twenty minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley and basil. Add remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir vigorously. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. Yes, your guests can sprinkle grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese, but only if you put it on the table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
VERMENTINO, GAVI DI GAVI
Risotto alla Moda Turchese
(TURKISH-STYLE RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Brindisi is the largest port city on the Adriatic Sea. From there ships sail to Greece and Turkey. This is an interesting and tasty Italian risotto named “Turkish-Style” because Turkish tourists visiting Brindisi seem to love this risotto. Even though their Muslim dietary laws rule out pork, they disobey the law of the Koran and know they will repent and be forgiven.
3 ounces Italian hot sausage
1 large peeled onion
1 large peeled clove garlic
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
10 ounces cultivated white mushrooms
1 small eggplant, unpeeled, washed, and diced small
½ yellow bell pepper, seeded, pith removed, washed, and diced small
1 bay leaf
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
4 Italian plum tomatoes, canned and chopped
Pinch of salt and pepper
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 shot glass good gin (Bombay is best, I think)
2 heaping tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Skin the sausage and mince the meat. Heat one tablespoon of butter and oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and garlic that have been minced together. Sauté for five minutes on gentle heat. Add sausage and cook eight minutes. Add the cultivated mushrooms, which were wiped with paper towel and chopped, the eggplant and yellow pepper previously small diced. Add bay leaf. Stir with wooden spoon and brown for ten minutes on moderate heat. Add a few tablespoons of hot broth occasionally. Discard bay leaf. Add chopped tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir for three minutes. Add rice, stir another three minutes. Add gin and cook on high heat for four minutes. Add hot broth, cup by cup, stirring constantly for eighteen minutes, until rice absorbs all the liquid. Add grated cheese and remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir well. Cover, remove from heat, and let rest for two minutes. Transfer to warmed serving bowl. Garnish with parsley and bring to table. You don’t have to be Turkish to enjoy this risotto. You may sprinkle more grated cheese if you wish.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
SALICE SALENTINO RISERVA, AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE (BASILICATA)
Risotto al Sapore di Tonno
(TUNA-FLAVORED RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Do you like tuna? I like tuna, but I can’t abide tuna casseroles. This is not a tuna casserole. It’s a magnificent and easy way to prepare a risotto. The tuna happily gives up its flesh to flavor this dish. Thank you, Charlie Tuna!
1 garlic clove
1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, washed well
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 6-ounce can tuna packed in oil, drained and flaked
3½ cups Arborio rice
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Mince the garlic and parsley leaves together or place in the bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade and pulse for one minute. Heat olive oil in skillet on moderate heat. Add garlic and parsley and sauté gently for five minutes. Add flaked tuna and rice. Stir for five minutes to coat rice evenly with oil. Transfer to a large saucepan and on moderate heat, begin to add boiling stock, cup by cup, stirring constantly until all stock is absorbed (about eighteen minutes). Add butter, salt and pepper to taste, stir, cover and let rest two minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. No grated cheese, please.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BIANCO DI SICILIA (INZOLIA/CATARRATTO BLEND), FIANO DI AVELLINO
Risotto Alla Bella Elena
(BEAUTIFUL HELEN’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Helen of Troy was so beautiful that her face launched a thousand ships in the war between ancient Greece and Troy. This risotto named for her won’t start a war—well maybe only a little squabble at your table over who is going to get a second serving.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded, cut in half, pith removed, and diced small
1 large peeled white onion, thinly sliced
1 large peeled clove garlic, crushed
2 heaping tablespoons frozen peas, completely thawed
1 rib celery, diced small
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 small packages saffron, dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot broth (Badia brand, 0.008 gram per package)
2 tablespoons light cream
4 heaping tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan on gentle heat. Sauté red bell pepper, onion, garlic, peas, celery, parsley, and basil on moderate heat for eight minutes. Lower heat to simmer. Stir in rice and mix three minutes. Add wine and cook until wine evaporates (about five minutes). Add hot broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring with wooden spoon, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Stir in saffron dissolved in two tablespoons of hot broth. Stir in cream and grated cheese. Cover and allow to rest for two minutes. Transfer to a deep serving dish and bring to table. Oh, Helen! Oh, Helen!
RECOMMENDED WINES:
RIESLING, PINOT BIANCO
Risotto ai Finocchi
(FENNEL RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
I was on my way to spend a few days in Siracusa, on the southern coast of Sicily. I was about halfway there, somewhere between Taormina and Siracusa. It was November and the temperature was about seventy. I kept passing trucks loaded with fresh fennel; the aroma of that sweet herb filled the air, overcoming the fumes of diesel and gasoline and making me impatient for dinner. After arriving in Siracusa and getting settled in the hotel, my first move was to get to the kind of family-run restaurant the Italians call a trattoria and order this risotto. It was delectable then; it’s delectable when I make it at home now.
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons pancetta or bacon, finely minced
2 small fresh fennel bulbs, trimmed, boiled for 10 minutes in lightly salted water, dried, and julienned
1½ cups Arborio rice
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup warm beer
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
3 tablespoons grated Gruyére or Swiss cheese
Pinch of fennel seeds (1⁄8 teaspoon)
2 tablespoons light cream
In a large saucepan, melt one tablespoon of butter in oil on gentle heat. Sauté pancetta for five minutes. Add julienned fennel and sauté for ten minutes. Add rice and stir three minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add beer, adjust heat to high and cook until beer evaporates. Adjust heat to low. Add hot stock, cup by cup, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes constantly stirring). Remove from heat. Add grated cheese, fennel seeds, cream, and remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir vigorously. Cover and allow to set for two minutes. Transfer to deep serving bowl and bring to table. Delicato, rinfrescante! (Delicate and refreshing!) Yes, you may sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BIANCO DI SICILIA (INZOLIA/CATARRATTO BLEND), TOCAI
Risotto del Goloso
(THE GLUTTON’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
A real glutton would eat this whole delectable risotto all by himself. The sin of gluttony is defined as eating until the point of getting sick. Now, remember, I am a priest and I don’t want you to commit any sins, but virture isn’t virtue unless it is tested. This risotto will be a real test of your virtue of self-control. Okay. End of sermon. Let’s eat!
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large peeled onion, thinly sliced
1 large peeled clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon pancetta or bacon, minced
4 small carrots, peeled and diced small
Pinch of salt (1⁄8 teaspoon)
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil or flat leaf parsley
In a large saucepan, melt butter in oil on gentle heat. Sauté onion, garlic, and pancetta for eight minutes. Add carrots and pinch of salt and cook for ten minutes. Add a few tablespoons of your hot broth if it gets too dry. Add wine. Add rice and stir three minutes. Add hot broth, cup by cup, stirring constantly, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Remove from heat, stir in cream, cheese, and chervil. Stir well. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. Remember now, a little self-control! No need for extra grated cheese.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BARBERA D’ALBA, VALPOLICELLA
Risotto del Buongustaio
(GOURMET’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
I do not consider myself a gourmet, although a reviewer of my book Father Orsini’s Italian Kitchen (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1993) said, “Father Orsini reminds me of the gourmet priest who sends the wine back at Mass.” All kidding aside, this is a gourmet’s delight.
5 ounces boiled ham (I like Krakus brand Polish ham), julienned
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
1¾ cups Arborio rice
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
Pepper to taste
½ cup light cream
1 tablespoon butter to finish
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
In a large saucepan, sauté the ham in butter and oil for five minutes. Remove the ham with a slotted spoon and set aside. Sauté the onion on gentle heat for eight minutes. Add rice and, stirring, let the grains be coated with the fat for five minutes. Add the boiling hot beef stock cup by cup, stirring constantly, until the rice absorbs all the liquid, about eighteen minutes. Add pepper to taste. Add cream. Stir and cook another three minutes. Remove from heat. Add cooked ham strips. Stir. Add butter and the two cheeses. Stir well. Pour into a serving bowl and bring to table. No extra cheese!
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BARBERA D’ASTI, BAROLO
Risotto al Diavolicchio
(DEVILED RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
We travel back to Southern Italy, namely the unforgettable peninsula of Sorrento in the province of Naples, for this deviled (meaning burning, spicy, hot) risotto. If you are enamored of spicy, hot dishes, this one’s for you, but save some for me.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium peeled onion, chopped
1 large jalapeño pepper, minced, seeds and all
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
3 ounces hot sopresatta (salami), minced
5 ounces pitted black olives, cut into rings
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons light cream
½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
4 heaping tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Place a 6-quart saucepan on gentle heat and melt butter in olive oil. Add onion and hot pepper. Sauté for five minutes. Add rice, stir for three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add hot salami and olives. Cook another five minutes. Now add hot broth, cup by cup, stirring constantly for eighteen minutes until the rice has absorbed all the liquid. Season with salt and pepper. One minute before turning off the heat, add cream and parsley. Stir in well. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with grated cheese and serve immediately. Piccante! (Hot stuff!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
TAURASI, CIRÓ RISERVA
Risotto con Piselli e Spinaci
(PEAS AND SPINACH RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Pisa, in the region of Tuscany, is most famous for its Leaning Tower. When I was there, I noticed that everything leans: the cathedral, the baptistery, and the city hall. (Even the citizens, I noticed, lean … only kidding about the people!) I sampled this delicious Pisan risotto in a small out-of-the-way family restaurant (trattoria) and when I walked out I was leaning! It was probably the two glasses of homemade white wine that the owner brought to my table and didn’t charge me for.
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and minced
1 rib celery, minced
1 medium onion, peeled and minced
1 clove peeled garlic, minced
3 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and minced
3 ounces frozen peas, thawed
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons light cream
Sauté minced carrots, celery, onion, spinach, and garlic in butter and oil in a large saucepan on moderate heat for eight minutes. Add peas. Season with salt and pepper. Add rice, stir for three minutes. Add wine, cook until evaporated. Add hot broth, cup by cup, stirring constantly until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Stir in cheese and cream. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. No extra grated cheese, unless you insist!
RECOMMENDED WINES:
CHARDONNAY, GRECCHETTO
Risotto di Bolzano
(BOLZANO RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
If the ingredients for this risotto speak with an Austrian accent, remember it comes from Bolzano. Bolzano is the capital of the region of Trento-Alto Adrige which was part of the Austro–Hungarian Empire for centuries. The local language is German. Even the street signs are bilingual (Italian and German). This risotto should be accompanied by a glass of beer while you are listening to a German oompah band.
½ white peeled onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil (this is still Italy)
6 Vienna sausages in thin slices (I prefer Goya brand)
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 cup of beer (warm)
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
3 ounces grated Swiss cheese (Emmentaler)
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, sauté onion gently in 1 tablespoon butter and oil for five minutes. Add Vienna sausages and cook for five minutes. Add rice and stir for five minutes to coat rice with oil. Add the beer. Adjust heat to moderate and cook until beer evaporates. Add boiling hot beef stock, cup by cup, continuously stirring until all stock is absorbed, about eighteen minutes. It will be a little liquidy. Add cheese, remaining butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Stir vigorously. Pour into serving bowl and serve. Wunderbar! (Wonderful!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
TRAMINER, GEWÜRZTRAMINER
Risotto al Barolo
(BAROLO WINE RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
This is very serious cooking with wine. In fact you have to use half a bottle of wine; the other half is the cook’s privilege to sip while he or she does all the stirring required. This is a unique risotto both in color and in taste.
½ peeled onion, minced
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ a 750-ml. bottle of Barolo red wine
½ quart boiling hot beef stock
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Sauté the onion in a large saucepan in two tablespoons butter on gentle heat for five minutes. Add rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Adjust heat to moderate and begin to add the wine ¼ cup at a time, continuously stirring, until all the wine is used and has evaporated. Add the hot broth in the same manner until it is all used and the rice has absorbed it. This will take about eighteen minutes. Add one tablespoon butter, grated cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour into serving bowl and bring to table. Fantastico! (Fantastic!)
RECOMMENDED WINE:
BAROLO
Risotto del Reverendo
(THE REVEREND’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
When I stay in Reggio Calabria, I reside in the Casa del Clero (the clergy house). It is the residence of the retired bishop and home to elderly retired priests. But Monsignor Giuseppe Caruso, my dear friend, always allows me to stay there at a minimum cost. One afternoon, Sister Lucia, the nun in charge of the residence, called me on the intercom to come to the kitchen because the retired bishop, the Most Reverend Sorrentino, was cooking the main course. I never watched a bishop cook, so I rushed to the kitchen. There was the bishop dressed in his purple cassock and skull cap, a huge apron wrapped around his ample paunch.
1 tablespoon minced pancetta or bacon
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 rib celery, minced
5 ounces savoy cabbage, sliced into ribbons
1 small onion, minced
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
1 can pinto beans, drained (15 ounces)
3 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
In a large saucepan, sauté pancetta, celery, cabbage, and onion in butter and oil for eight minutes on moderate heat. Stir in rice for three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add hot broth, cup by cup, until rice absorbs all the liquid. After nine minutes of constant stirring, add drained beans. When rice is done after nine more minutes of stirring, add grated cheese and stir vigorously. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, say a short prayer (the bishop did), turn into serving bowl, and serve. Benedetto risotto! (A blessed risotto!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
GRECO DI TUFO, FIANO DI AVELLINO
Risotto con Funghi, Prosciutto, e Mozzarella
(MUSHROOM, PROSCIUTTO, AND MOZZARELLA RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
L’Aquila, a jewel of a town in the Abruzzi region, is not on the usual Italy tour track. Here lies the incorrupt remains of Saint Bernardine of Siena, who was a great Franciscan preacher and the founder of the Catholic World-Wide Holy Name Society. I visited a rustic and charming Abruzzese restaurant in Montereale (a suburb in the mountains of L’Aquila). The family who ran the restaurant exemplified the gracious sincerity and simplicity of those who dwell in the isolation of mountain villages. This risotto was the rich main course.
10 ounces regular white mushrooms
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 small onion, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
Pinch of salt
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
3½ ounces prosciutto or boiled ham cut into julienne strips
1 pound mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons light cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
Wipe the mushrooms with a paper towel and slice from top to bottom, including the stems. Chop the garlic and onion, then sauté in oil and butter in a large saucepan on gentle heat for five minutes. Add the cultivated mushrooms, sauté on high heat for two minutes. Add dried mushrooms (previously soaked in warm water for half an hour, drained, washed, and chopped). Add pinch of salt and stir. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add hot broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). During the last three minutes of cooking, add julienned ham and the mozzarella cut into small cubes, the cream, and the grated cheese. Mix well. Transfer to serving bowl, garnish with chopped parsley. Serve immediately. This is an authentic taste of the Abruzzi mountains.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
CHIANTI RISERVA, PREDICATO DI BITURICA (CABERNET/SANGIOVESE BLEND)
Risotto Brindisano
(RISOTTO FROM BRINDISI)
SERVES 4
Brindisi is a major port city in the region of Apulia. Ships leaving the port travel all over the world. I was invited to board a ship that had just returned from India and dine with the captain. The ship’s cook brought us this Italian risotto with a touch of Indian flavor.
1 small onion, minced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 rib celery, minced
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
4 ripe Italian tomatoes, peeled (or canned)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
1 level teaspoon curry powder dissolved in ½ cup hot broth (beef or chicken)
½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
In a large saucepan, sauté onion, garlic, and celery in butter and oil on moderate heat for eight minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add hot broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring for eighteen minutes. After nine minutes, add dissolved curry. When finished cooking and rice is al dente, add parsley and stir vigorously. Pour into serving bowl, bring to table and dig in. Buono abbastanza! (Good enough!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
SALICE SALENTINO, PRIMITIVO
Risotto ai Peperoni
(RED BELL PEPPER RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
This dish has spectacular eye appeal and tantalizes the tastebuds. I tasted it when I was invited to accompany Sandro La Bozzetta and his wife, Clelia, to supper at the home of their Neapolitan friends living in Reggio Calabria. A friendly argument broke out about the origin of the risotto. Naples, Venice, and Reggio Calabria were the contenders. I voted for Venice and got booed. Make this risotto and you’ll get applause.
1 large onion, minced
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium red bell peppers, halved, pith removed, seeded, and julienned
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
1 tablespoon pitted black olives, chopped
Pinch marjoram or oregano
2 tablespoons light cream
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan, sauté the onion in butter and olive oil for five minutes. Add the red bell peppers and cook on moderate heat for fifteen minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rice and stir to coat each grain with fat. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add the hot stock, cup by cup, stirring continuously until all the broth has been absorbed (about eighteen minutes). Add the olives, marjoram, and cream and mix thoroughly. Sprinkle with grated cheese, stir, and cover. Let rest two minutes before serving.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
VALPOLICELLA, CIRÓ CLASSICO
Risotto in Campo Verde
(RISOTTO IN A GREEN FIELD)
SERVES 4
This imaginative name comes from the green color of the peas, parsley, and basil. It’s a pretty name and a delectable risotto. Green is the color that signifies hope and the beginning of new life in the spring. Well this dish will have you hoping for more and put a spring to your step.
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
1 pound shelled frozen peas, thawed completely
½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
¾ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.
Sauté the onion in two tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan on low heat. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add the hot stock, cup by cup, stirring continuously for eighteen minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Add parsley, basil, and grated cheese. Mix well. Cover and let rest for two minutes. Pour into serving bowl and bring to table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
LUGANA DEL VENETO, SOAVE
Risotto ai Tre Formaggi
(THREE-CHEESE RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
A recent New York Times article reported that scientists made a study in France where huge amounts of cheese are consumed, and to their surprise they found that the French suffer less coronary disease than most Europeans, except Southern Italians. It seems that the bacteria and enzymes in cheese render the cholesterol in fresh whole milk harmless. They also said that the daily consumption of red wine may be an additional important factor in preventing heart disease. I think that’s great news for cheese and red-wine lovers. It made me very happy. I was even happier when I had it for dinner.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1 heaping tablespoon mascarpone or cream cheese
2 heaping tablespoons Gorgonzola or other blue cheese
1 heaping tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan, melt butter in oil on gentle heat. Sauté onion and garlic for five minutes. Add rice and stir three minutes. Add wine, adjust heat to moderate, and cook until it evaporates. Add hot stock, cup by cup, constantly stirring, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Add the three cheeses. Mix vigorously. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. Eat to your heart’s content.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
AMARONE, BAROLO
Risotto al Cumino
(FRESH CUMIN RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Cumin is a small, grassy plant that produces seeds that are used in making the liqueur kümmel and much used in Latin-American cooking. This risotto absolutely requires fresh cumin, which grows abundantly in spring on the plateau of Asiago. If you can’t get fresh cumin, just skip this recipe. There are no satisfactory substitutes.
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh cumin
1 cup dry white wine
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons grated Asiago cheese
Sauté onion in 1½ tablespoons of butter and the oil in a large saucepan on gentle heat for five minutes. Add chopped cumin, stir, and sauté three minutes. Add wine and cook for five minutes. Add rice, stir to coat the grains with fat. Over moderate heat, add hot broth, cup by cup, stirring constantly, until all the broth is totally absorbed by the rice. (This should take eighteen minutes from the first cup of stock to the last.) Add pinch of salt. Add the remaining 1½ tablespoons of butter and grated cheese. Give a last stir and bring immediately to the table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BARBARESCO, GATTINARA
Risotto con Funghi alla Mia Maniera
(MUSHROOM RISOTTO MY WAY)
SERVES 4
Frank Sinatra made the song “My Way” one of the most successful popular songs in modern musical history. Although it was written by Paul Anka, “My Way” was and is always associated with “Old Blue Eyes.” Whoever invented this recipe, did it “their way.” I am sure you will claim it for yourself.
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms reconstituted in a cup of warm water for ½ hour. Drain, pour the soaking liquid through a fine wire mesh sieve lined with two layers of paper towels, and reserve the liquid.
3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Wash the mushrooms under cold running water. Chop mushrooms and sauté in one tablespoon of butter and olive oil in small skillet on moderate heat for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add parsley and garlic. Cook five more minutes. Set aside. In a large saucepan, sauté onion in one tablespoon of butter on gentle heat for five minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add reserved mushroom liquid and cook until it evaporates. Begin adding hot beef stock, cup by cup, until all the broth is absorbed by the rice (about eighteen minutes), constantly stirring. During the last five minutes, add the contents of the skillet which was used to sauté mushrooms. Add remaining tablespoon of butter and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir, then allow to rest two minutes covered. Pour into a preheated serving bowl and bring to table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BARBERA D’ASTI, DOLCETTO D’ALBA
Risotto al Forno di Clelia
(CLELIA’S BAKED RISOTTO)
SERVES 6
I traveled to Italy in January 1993 to visit my relatives in Reggio Calabria. On Monday, January 18, I was invited to dinner at my compare Sandro’s house. I watched as his wife, Clelia, prepared this stupendous baked risotto. When I tasted it, I thought, It doesn’t get any better than this. I am surrounded by people who love me and I am eating the best food in the world. Thank you, God. I am truly blessed. Now I share this blessing with you; share it in turn with people you love.
1 large peeled onion, sliced thinly
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot stock (chicken or beef)
½ cup milk
1 small package saffron (Badia brand, 0.0008 gram)
4 tablespoons butter
3 slices boiled ham, julienned
5 slices domestic provolone cheese or Swiss, julienned
½ pound mozzarella cheese, diced
4 tablespoons Pecorino Romano cheese
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, sauté onion in olive oil on moderate heat for five minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add boiling stock, cup by cup, until rice absorbs all the stock, stirring constantly. This takes about eighteen minutes of constant stirring. Add half the milk with the last cup of broth. Remove from heat, add saffron and mix well. Set aside. Butter a baking dish with one tablespoon of butter. Make a layer of rice on bottom of dish, dot with remaining butter, place the ham and the provolone or Swiss cheese on rice, distributed evenly. Cover with diced mozzarella cheese, pour remaining milk over the surface. Cover with the rest of the rice. Sprinkle with grated Pecorino Romano cheese. Bake for forty minutes. Remove and let rest for ten minutes, cut, and serve. Magnifico! (Magnificent!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
MONTEPULCIANO, CHIANTI CLASSICO
Risotto della Tata
(THE NANNY’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
The upper middle class in Italy often hire a nanny (whose job it is to cook, clean, and help raise the children). Marietta La Bozzetta’s oldest daughter, Mimy, has had the same nanny for almost thirty years. Her name is Rosa and she is a delightful lady, especially after she has consumed a couple of glasses of wine. She prepared this risotto for me and cheerfully gave me the recipe. It is a luscious dish, and if you can’t afford a nanny, make it anyway, and just pretend your nanny cooked it for you.
Note: This is another of those recipes you will (sadly) have to skip if you can’t get an important ingredient. If the fresh herbs are not available, skip it. Dry herbs just won’t work.
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium peeled white onion, thinly sliced
1 large peeled clove garlic, thinly sliced
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup fresh rosemary, leaves only, finely chopped
½ cup fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
½ pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons light cream
Salt and pepper to taste
2 heaping tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Melt butter in oil in a large saucepan on gentle heat. Sauté onion and garlic for eight minutes. Add rice and stir three minutes. Add wine, adjust heat to high, and cook until wine evaporates. Adjust heat to low. Stir in chopped herbs. Add boiling hot broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Stir in mozzarella cheese, the cream, salt and pepper to taste, and grated cheese. Stir vigorously and transfer to deep serving bowl. Bring to table and smile like Rosa.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
RIESLING, GAVI DI GAVI
Risotto del Montanaro
(MOUNTAIN MAN’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
This aptly named risotto is redolent of the wild mushrooms found in mountain forests. The men of the mountains of Italy engage in sheep and goat herding and so need food that is calorie-laden to fuel their climbing up steep mountains when leading their flocks to verdant pastures. This is a very hearty risotto that flavorfully supplies the calories required for hard physical labor.
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms soaked in 1 cup warm water for ½ hour
1 medium peeled onion, minced
1 large peeled clove garlic minced
1 ounce pancetta or bacon, minced
4 fresh sage leaves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tablespoons butter
1 clove (the whole clove spice, not powdered)
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
2½ ounces of Italian sweet sausage, skinned and crumbled
10 ounces Arborio rice
½ cup dry red wine
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Drain the mushrooms through a fine wire sieve lined with a sheet of paper towel. Reserve the liquid for use in soups, stocks, or other risotto. After washing them under cold running water and drying them, chop mushrooms. Set aside.
In a large saucepan on gentle heat, sauté onion, garlic, pancetta, sage, and parsley in two tablespoons of butter for eight minutes. Add clove and cook another two minutes, stirring. Add diced potatoes and stir. Add mushrooms and crumbled sausage, stir and cook for fifteen minutes. Add rice, stir, and cook for three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add hot stock, cup by cup, stirring constantly for eighteen minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Add remaining tablespoon of butter, the grated cheese, and mix well. Remove from heat. Remove clove. Let stand covered for four minutes. Pour into a warmed serving bowl and bring to table. Put on a cassette tape of Julie Andrews singing “Climb Every Mountain” and enjoy this outstanding meal.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BAROLO, NEBBIOLO D’ALBA
Risotto Filante
(STRINGY RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Filante translates into “stringiness” and the stringiness comes from the melted mozzarella in the risotto. Mozzarella has that marvelous quality of becoming stringy when melted. Kids young (or old) have fun stretching the strings until they break. This is a sensational risotto for everyone gathered at the family table.
2 small eggplants, washed, unpeeled, and julienned
5 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2-pound 3-ounce can of Italian peeled plum tomatoes, chopped in their liquid
½ peeled chopped onion
1 large peeled clove garlic, thinly sliced
1 rib celery, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Pinch of sugar
11 ounces long-grain rice
1 quart water salted with ½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
In a large skillet, sauté eggplant in olive oil on moderate heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Drain in colander, reserving the oil. Set in bowl. Pour drained eggplant oil into a large saucepan and on moderate heat, add tomatoes, onion, garlic, celery, basil, and pinch of sugar. Cook gently for twenty minutes. Set aside. Bring salted water to a boil, stir in rice, cook on a simmer covered for twenty minutes. Drain in colander and set aside. Pour rice into large serving bowl, add diced mozzarella, dress with tomato sauce. Add fried eggplant, mix well, add remaining butter and grated cheese. Stir and serve immediately.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
NERO D’AVOLA, AGLIANICO
Risotto con Calamaretti
(SMALL-SQUID RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Many American fishing enthusiasts use squid as bait. Not so the Italians. They use succulent squid in dozens of delicious recipes. This is one such recipe, which brings squid to heights of culinary excellence.
1 large peeled white onion, thinly sliced
1 large peeled clove garlic, minced
½ cup olive oil
1 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, divided in half
15 ounces frozen baby squid completely thawed, washed in cold water, and julienned
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon tomato paste dissolved in ½ cup dry white wine
1½ cups long-grain rice
1 quart boiling hot fish stock, fresh or canned, or clam juice
In a large saucepan, sauté onion and garlic in oil on moderate heat for five minutes. Add first ½ cup chopped parsley, stir, and add squid. Cook for five minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add tomato paste dissolved in wine and evaporate on high heat three minutes. Lower heat to moderate. Stir in rice, stir, and cook for three minutes. Add hot fish stock or clam juice, cup by cup, until rice absorbs most of the liquid, constantly stirring, for eighteen minutes (it will be a little soupy). Mix in the second ½ cup of parsley. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. You’ll never use squid for fish bait again. No cheese on fish dishes!
RECOMMENDED WINES:
GRECO DI TUFO, FALANGHINA
Risotto dello Sbirro
(POLICE SPY’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Sbirro is a contemptuous term for a police spy, or a “narc” in our slang. I was told by one of my relatives in Reggio Calabria, who is a special forces officer in the Italian state police, that this risotto is often the favorite dish of the sbirri—the spies—of the area. All I know is that it is very tasty and satisfying. No, it will not transform you into a spy!
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 scallions, finely chopped
1 large peeled clove garlic, crushed
1 yellow bell pepper, diced small
1 red bell pepper, pith removed, seeded, diced small
1½ cups Arborio rice
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
1 3½-ounce can tuna packed in oil, drained and flaked
½ cup chopped flat leaf parsley
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
In a large saucepan, melt butter in oil on gentle heat. Sauté scallions and garlic for five minutes. Add diced bell peppers, stir, and cook for five minutes. Add rice and stir three minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add wine and on moderate heat cook until it evaporates. Add hot broth, cup by cup, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes, constantly stirring). Stir in flaked tuna and chopped herbs. Stir vigorously. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. No cheese on fish dishes!
RECOMMENDED WINES:
BIANCO DI SICILIA, GRECO DI TUFO
Risotto con i Carciofi
(ARTICHOKE RISOTTO)
SERVES 4 (WITH A BONUS!)
This is a lovely risotto delicately flavored with artichoke hearts. The original recipe called for four, young, fresh artichokes, all outer leaves removed, and stem cut off, the thistle removed, and pared down to the tender hearts. Then the hearts were julienned and placed into cold water with the juice of one lemon to prevent discoloration. I just don’t have the heart to throw away almost all of the artichoke, so I substitute a 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts packed in water. I halve the rest of the artichokes, dip them in egg wash, cover them with bread crumbs seasoned with crushed garlic, chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. I fry them in olive oil until golden brown and serve them as appetizers. I did it again, didn’t I. I gave you two recipes in one. Oh, well!
2 ounces pancetta or bacon, minced
1 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 large peeled garlic clove, crushed
3 tablespoons butter
4 canned artichoke hearts, julienned
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups Arborio rice
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
In a 6-quart saucepan, sauté the pancetta, ½ cup of parsley, and the garlic in two tablespoons of butter on gentle heat for five minutes. Add the artichokes and sauté for three minutes. Add a teaspoon of broth. Season with salt and pepper. Add rice. Stir to heat the grains for five minutes. Add the stock, cup by cup, stirring constantly, until all the broth is absorbed by the rice (about eighteen minutes). Remove from heat. Add one tablespoon of butter, the remaining parsley and the grated cheese. Mix well. Let stand covered for two minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. Proprio gustoso! (Really delicious!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
ORVIETO CLASSICO, DOLCETTO D’ALBA
Risotto con Salsiccia e Marsala
(SAUSAGE AND MARSALA WINE RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Marsala cooking wine is sold in supermarkets. Don’t buy it. It is loaded with salt and has only a faint hint of genuine marsala. Please do yourself a favor and buy the real stuff imported from Sicily. Make sure it is dry marsala (secco is the Italian word on the bottle). This is a smashing combination of ingredients that will deliver an excellent risotto. The marsala I use is made by the Florio Company.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 scallions, minced
3 fresh sage leaves, minced (if you can’t get fresh sage, skip it; dried sage simply won’t do)
14 ounces Italian sweet sausage, skinned and crumbled
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry marsala wine
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
2 tablespoons light cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat olive oil and butter in a large saucepan and sauté scallions and sage on gentle heat for eight minutes. Add sausage and fry until well browned, about another eight minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add marsala wine and cook until completely evaporated. Add hot broth, cup by cup, until all liquid is absorbed by rice (about eighteen minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in cream and grated cheese. Add chopped parsley. Stir. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into warm serving bowl and bring to table. If someone wants more cheese, pass grated Parmesan separately.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
AMARONE, BAROLO
Risotto Povero
(POOR MAN’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
The name for this tasty risotto comes from the inexpensive ingredients. Even if you are on a street budget, it doesn’t mean you have to eat poorly. When the poor man partakes of this tasty dish, he won’t have to sing “If I were a Rich Man,” Tevyeh’s famous song from Fiddler on the Roof. No it isn’t kosher.
½ large onion, minced
3 leaves of fresh sage, minced (if you can’t get fresh sage, simply omit it)
1 rib celery, minced
½ cup dry white vermouth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
5 ounces mortadella sausage or boiled ham, minced
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Ground fresh black pepper to taste
Melt one tablespoon of butter in olive oil in a large saucepan on gentle heat. Add onion, sage (if available), celery, and mortadella. Cook eight minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add dry vermouth and cook until evaporated. Add the hot beef broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring, until the rice absorbs all the liquid (eighteen minutes). Remove from heat, stir in one tablespoon of butter, grated cheese, and black pepper. Mix well, cover, and let rest two minutes. Pile on a warm serving dish in the form of a little mountain and bring to table. Provide grated Parmesan for those who want it.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
LAMBRUSCO DI GASPAROSSA, DOLCETTO
Risotto con patate e Zucchine
(POTATO AND ZUCCHINE RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
I discovered this risotto in the gorgeous city of Ravenna, which is famous for its remarkable mosaics. It was for a time the temporary headquarters of the Holy Roman Emperor Theodoric. If this risotto is an indication of the local cuisine, then its food should be as famous as its mosaics.
3 medium unpeeled zucchini, washed and diced
2 large potatoes, peeled, diced, and boiled until tender, then drained
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large peeled clove garlic, crushed
1 medium peeled onion, minced
1½ cups long-grain rice
½ cup dry white wine
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
2 tablespoons light cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 walnut-size chunk of cold butter
Melt butter in olive oil in a large saucepan on gentle heat. Add garlic and onion, sauté five minutes. Add potatoes and cook stirring for ten minutes. Add zucchini and cook another five minutes. Add rice, stir for three minutes. Add wine, stir, and as soon as it evaporates add hot broth, cup by cup, until all liquid is absorbed by rice (eighteen minutes). Remove from heat. Incorporate the cream, grated cheese, parsley, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Stir vigorously, add the cold butter. Cover and let rest for two minutes. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. Saporito! (Tasty!)
RECOMMENDED WINES:
SOAVE, CHARDONNAY
Risotto della Bella Estate
(BEAUTIFUL SUMMER RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Beautiful summers are the seasons for beautiful vegetables. The veggies are at the summit of their color and flavor. I enjoyed this festive risotto while visiting the elegant medieval town of San Gimignano in the verdant hills of Tuscany.
I wrote this recipe in a completely different manner because that is the way the chef who gave me the recipe dictated it to me. I think I like my way of recipe writing better. But you have to admit, it was interesting.
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 large green bell pepper
Wash and dry the peppers. Place them on an outdoor grill and roast them, turning them often, until the skins blister and burn. Place them in a paper bag and close it tightly. Leave them for ten minutes. Remove the peppers. The burned skin can now be easily peeled off. Take out the stems, pith, and seeds. Place the roasted peppers and their juice in a bowl. Set aside.
1 small peeled onion
1 large peeled clove garlic
Mince them and sauté them in a large saucepan, on gentle heat in:
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
for five minutes. Add the roasted peppers, large diced, and the pepper juice. Add:
1½ cups Arborio rice
Stir for five minutes. Add:
½ cup dry white wine
and cook over high heat until wine evaporates (about five minutes). Adjust heat to low and add:
4 fresh plum tomatoes processed in food blender for one minute
Stir. Add:
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook, stirring constantly for about eighteen minutes. If rice seems to be getting too dry, add up to two cups of boiling hot chicken broth. Season with:
7 drops Worcestershire sauce
Remove from heat and add:
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
½ cup fresh basil leaves, julienned
Stir vigorously. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. Provide grated Parmesan for those who desire it.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO, TREBBIANO
Risotto Esau
(ESAU’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
The Old Testament of the Bible tells the story of how Jacob deceived his older brother Esau and tricked him into giving away his birthright as first-born son. Jacob knew his brother Esau was a little dim-witted and was crazy about lentil soup. Esau had just come in from a long, hard day of shepherding his father’s sheep and goats. He was famished. Jacob had just finished making lentil soup and told Esau he could eat it all if only he would sign a document. Esau had his lentils and Jacob the birthright of a first-born son. This risotto recipe is about the easiest in the book. All you need is a can opener and the rest will be history.
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
1 large can (16 ounces) Progresso brand lentil soup
1 medium onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons butter
1½ cups Arborio rice
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Put the broth on to boil. Adjust heat to simmer. Open the can of lentil soup, drain, and reserve the liquid. Add the liquid to the simmering broth. Put a large saucepan on moderate heat, add butter and onion. Sauté onion five minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add broth, cup by cup, stirring constantly with wooden spoon until rice absorbs all the liquid (about sixteen minutes). Add drained lentils and continue to cook, stirring, for five minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining tablespoon butter and sprinkle with grated cheese. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. Don’t be like Jacob and tell a lie. Tell everyone the truth. You used a can of lentil soup. They won’t believe you anyway. This risotto tastes too darn good.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO, ROSSO DI MONTALCINO
Risotto Oktoberfest
(OKTOBERFEST RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
I traveled to Munich, Germany, several years ago to attend the world-famous Oktoberfest. I never saw so many people in gigantic beer halls drinking huge steins of beer and knocking down knockwurst, bratwurst, sauerkraut, and potatoes. It was a blast! All I could manage to drink was one stein of beer (it held a liter). But you don’t have to drink yourself silly to have fun. A few years later I was in Bolzano, Italy. It was Oktoberfest and I saw practically the same scene there as I had in Germany. But this was Italy, after all, and I was served this risotto.
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
2 Würstel (Vienna sausages), skinned (Goya is a good brand)
½ large onion, peeled
2 tablespoons butter
1½ cups Arborio rice
1 can warm beer (12 ounces)
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Dice the Vienna sausages. Slice the onion thinly and sauté in one tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan on gentle heat for five minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Adjust heat to high. Add beer and cook until it evaporates. Add hot broth, cup by cup, stirring constantly, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). During the last two minutes, add sausage. Stir well. Remove from heat. Stir in remaining tablespoon of butter and grated cheese. A cold glass of beer is the natural accompaniment to this Italian risotto that speaks with a German accent, but I was served a hearty, red wine with my meal. Beer simply blows me up and contains too much sugar for my diabetes.
Risotto Julienne
(JULIENNE’S RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
On my last trip to Reggio Calabria, Sandro La Bozzetta, my compare, took me and my traveling companions Salvatore Vassallo and Frank Di Mauro Jr. to a fabulous country restaurant to celebrate his daughter Claudia’s birthday. We traveled in two cars up torturous mountain roads. Mamma Marietta, Sandro, and his wife, Clelia, Claudia, and her fiancé, Sandro Turano, his daughter, Cinzia, and her former fiancé of nine years, Pino Chirico2 (whom Cinzia dropped because he had a roving eye). The opening course of my unforgettable culinary family experience was an elegant risotto.
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium peeled onion, thinly sliced
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart boiling hot beef stock
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ quart very hot whole milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg (1⁄8 teaspoon)
1 pound mozzarella cheese, in small cubes
2 ounces boiled ham, julienned
In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter in oil on gentle heat. Sauté onion for five minutes. Add rice and stir three minutes. Add wine and cook until it evaporates. Add hot broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring for eighteen minutes until rice absorbs all the liquid. Add grated cheese. Meanwhile, in another small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter on gentle heat. Stir in flour and cook for three minutes. Add hot milk, constantly stirring until the sauce thickens, about five minutes. You have made béchamel sauce! Season with salt, pepper, and pinch of nutmeg. Add mozzarella cubes and stir until cheese melts. Transfer cooked rice into warmed serving bowl. Pour the creamy cheese sauce over the top. Garnish with julienned ham. Bring to table immediately.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
TREBBIANO, SAUVIGNON BLANC
Risotto al Profumo D’Amaretto
(AMARETTO-FLAVORED RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
Amaretto is a delicious liqueur made in Saronno, Italy from bitter almonds. The bitter almonds are also used to make Amaretti di Saronno, very crispy cookies that are great eaten by themselves, and are often used as an ingredient in desserts. They are available in many Italian shops or by mail order (here). In this risotto, they give a delightful contrast to the rest of the ingredients.
1 small peeled onion, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ tablespoons butter
1¾ cups Arborio rice
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
36 ounces boiling hot chicken stock
4 tablespoons light cream
½ teaspoon lemon zest
2 Amaretti di Saronno cookies, crumbled, or one shot glass of Amaretto liqueur
Pinch of cinnamon
3 heaping tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
In a large saucepan, sauté onion in oil and butter on gentle heat for five minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add wine and cook until completely evaporated. Add hot broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring until the rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). During the last two minutes of cooking, add cream, lemon zest, crushed amaretti, or Amaretto liqueur, and pinch of cinnamon. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with cheese, stir, and serve immediately.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
VERDUZZO, RIESLING
Risotto con Cavolini Bruxelles
(BRUSSELS SPROUTS RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
A lot of people tell me that they love brussels sprouts but cannot get their kids near them. In this magnificent risotto, the tiny cabbages take on a wonderful taste. Are you having a rough time getting your kids to eat brussels sprouts? Make them this risotto, and unless your kids are really weird, they’ll eat them. This is a recipe from the city of Milan.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lard (optional)
1½ tablespoons pancetta or bacon, minced
1 medium peeled onion, thinly sliced
1 large peeled clove garlic, crushed
9 ounces frozen brussels sprouts cooked according to the directions on the package and drained
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 heaping tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Place a large saucepan on gentle heat with oil, butter, and lard, if you are using it. Add onion, brussels sprouts, and garlic. Sauté for five minutes. Add rice and stir. Add wine, adjust heat to high, and cook until wine evaporates (about three minutes). Lower heat to simmer. Add hot broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring, until rice absorbs all the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Remove from heat and vigorously mix in the parsley and grated cheese. Transfer to serving bowl and bring to table. Once in a while you’ve got to be sneaky to get your kids to eat good things.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
RIESLING ITALICO, VERNACCIA DI SAN GIMIGNANO
Risotto alle Radicchielle
(DANDELION RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
When I was a little child, we had a friend named Donna Micuzza Bareca, who emigrated from Cittanova, a mountain village in the province of Reggio Calabria. Donna Micuzza would often visit Bayonne Park in very early spring and gather the young tender leaves of dandelions, which she always shared with my mother, Donna Carmela. (Donna was the formal title given to women of high station. The English equivalent is “my lady.”) The dandelion has a slightly bitter taste and is chock-full of vitamins and minerals. These days you can purchase them from your green grocer or supermarket. This risotto is for you, Donna Micuzza, may you rest in peace.
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
1½ pounds dandelion leaves, washed, boiled for five minutes without any more water than that which remains on the leaves from washing, drained, and minced
2 peeled and seeded fresh tomatoes, minced
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons light cream
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in olive oil in a large saucepan over gentle heat. Sauté onion for five minutes. Add rice and stir for three minutes. Add wine and cook until evaporated. Add minced dandelions and tomatoes. Cook five minutes. Add hot broth, cup by cup, constantly stirring for eighteen minutes until rice absorbs all liquid. Season with salt and pepper. During the last two minutes of cooking rice, add the cream, the remaining tablespoon of butter, and the grated cheese. Mix well. Remove from the heat, let stand two minutes. Turn into a serving bowl and bring to the table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
ALCAMO BIANCO, SICILIA VERMENTINO
Risotto Variopinto
(MULTICOLORED RISOTTO)
SERVES 4
This risotto is so colorful and eye-appealing that your guests will whisper when you serve them as if they were visiting an art museum. In fact, I ate this risotto for the first time right around the corner from the Pitti Palace art museum in Florence, Italy. Perhaps the chef was inspired to create his work of art from viewing the magnificent canvases of Rafaello, Tintoretto, El Greco, Goya, and company. This risotto not only looks beautiful but tastes beautiful. What more can one ask?
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small peeled onion, thinly sliced
1 large peeled clove garlic, crushed
3 ounces sweet Italian sausage, skinned and crumbled
2 canned Italian plum peeled tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons frozen peas, completely thawed
2 frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and julienned
Salt and pepper to taste
1½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
1 quart boiling hot chicken stock
½ cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 heaping tablespoon grated Gruyère or Swiss cheese
Melt butter in oil on gentle heat in a large saucepan. Sauté onion and garlic five minutes. Add sausage. Adjust heat to moderate and brown for five minutes. Add tomatoes, peas, and artichokes. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for ten minutes. Add rice and stir three minutes. Adjust heat to high. Add wine and cook until wine evaporates (five minutes), then lower heat. Add hot stock cup by cup and, with wooden spoon, stir until rice absorbs most of the liquid (about eighteen minutes). Add parsley and grated cheese. Stir vigorously. Remove from heat. Transfer to a deep serving bowl and bring to the table.
RECOMMENDED WINES:
ROSSO DI MONTALCINO, CHIANTI COLLI SENESI