Risotto alla Milanese

Instructions

Crush the saffron to a powder with a mortar and pestle and put it in a glass measuring cup. Bring the broth to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, then turn the heat to low. Stir ½ cup of the broth into the saffron to dissolve it and set it aside, keeping the rest of the broth hot.

Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy skillet or a 2½-quart saucepan over medium heat until bubbly. Cook and stir the onion for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in the wine, salt and pepper. Cook uncovered over medium-high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring now and then, until the wine has evaporated.

Stir in ½ cup of the hot plain broth and lower the heat to medium-low so the pan keeps a gentle simmer from here on. Cook and stir until the rice has absorbed the liquid, then repeat with ½ cup of broth three more times, letting each addition absorb before the next.

Add the saffron broth and cook until it is absorbed. Keep adding the remaining broth ½ cup at a time, stirring until each addition is taken up. The rice is ready when it is tender but still firm and the mixture is slightly creamy, after about 20 minutes of cooking in all. You may not need all the broth.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the Parmesan. Garnish if you like and serve right away.