Some recipes don’t need to be messed with. Risotto with Saffron – otherwise known as Risotto alla Milanese – is one of those.
It is a rich, beautiful plate of quintessentially northern Italian comfort food. And you’re bound to love it.
This recipe is from the classic Italian cookbook, Italy the Beautiful by the late Lorenza De Medici, published in 1988. I’ve had this book for years and bring it out from time to time, so when I wanted to cook Risotto alla Milanese, it was where I went to.
Lorenza De Medici bought real Italian cooking to the world. In the 1980s she began a cooking school at her stunning Tuscan estate, Badia a Coltibuono (founded in the 1051) and published more than 30 cookbooks. If you’re visiting Italy today, you can still indulge in a cooking class at the incredible estate or study cooking in detail at the LdM Cooking school in the historic Mercato Centrale in Florence or Tuscania, north of Rome.
Saffron Risotto in Milano
My first taste of Risotto alla Milanese was in 2023, on my very first night in Milan. I’d just arrived from Venice by train, and during the trip I struck up a conversation with a woman working on board. She’d just finished her shift and sat opposite me. We chatted and she told me she was originally from Naples but living in Milan while studying, and naturally, the conversation turned to food.
When I asked for recommendations, she lit up and told me about a restaurant near the Duomo that, in her words, served one of the best Cotoletta con Risotto allo Zafferano in the city. The place was called Al Cantinone, and I decided that’s where I’d have my first Milanese dinner.
I took her advice and ordered the perfect pairing: Cotoletta di vitello alla Milanese accompagnato da risotto alla Milanese (veal cutlet with saffron risotto). When the dish arrived, I almost gasped out loud. The veal cutlet was enormous! It was so big it almost draped over the plate but when I cut into it, I discovered it was surprisingly thin. That’s because the veal is pounded flat while being left on the bone, then breaded and pan-fried until golden. Juicy and full of flavour, it paired beautifully with the creamy, aromatic saffron risotto and a glass or two of wine.
How beautiful is that colour? It’s the gift of natural saffron infused rice, for sure.
Without further ado, let’s cook Saffron Risotto
A luxurious Risotto alla Milanese recipe you’ll love
Course: Recipe4
servings30
minutes40
minutesYou will need
90g/3 oz unsalted butter
125 g/4 oz beef marrow
1 small onion, finely chopped
400 grams/13 oz/2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
125 ml/4 fl oz dry white wine
1.5 litres/50 fl oz chicken or beef stock, simmering
1/4 teaspoon saffron
125 grams/4 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground pepper
Here’s what to do
- Melt half the butter and the marrow in a deep skillet over moderate heat.
- Add onion and sauté until translucent.
- Add rice and stir for 2 minutes.
- Pour in wine and cook until it evaporates.
- Add boiling broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next.
- The rice should always be covered by a ‘veil’ of broth.
- Add saffron, dissolved in a little broth.
- When rice is cooked to porridge consistency – after about 15 minutes – add Parmesan cheese, remaining butter, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and let risotto rest for a few minutes before serving.
Tips and tricks
- For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken/beef stock for vegetable and omit the marrow. The flavour won’t be as rich, but it will still be delicious.
Enjoy an indulgent risotto? When truffles are in season, you can’t beat my Mushroom and Truffle risotto. It’s wonderful without the addition of truffle.
