Risotto alla Milanese (Risotto alla Milanese) — Saffron-Rich Milanese Rice

• 320 gCarnaroli rice
• 1.2 lbeef broth (kept hot; use low-salt broth if possible)
• 45 strandsaffron
• 60 mlhot beef broth (taken from the total broth amount)
• 70 gunsalted butter (40 g for cooking and 30 g for finishing)
• 25 gbeef bone marrow (finely chopped; traditional but optional in some households)
• 1small yellow onion (about 80 g, very finely minced)
• 120 mldry white wine
• 60 gParmigiano Reggiano (finely grated)
• 4 gfine sea salt (adjust only if the broth is very salty)

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring the beef broth to a bare simmer in a saucepan and keep it hot throughout cooking. Put the saffron strands in a small bowl with 60 ml of the hot broth and let them steep for at least 10 minutes so the color and aroma bloom fully.

2. 2

   Melt 40 g of the butter with the chopped bone marrow in a wide, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced onion and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until soft and translucent but not browned.

3. 3

   Add the Carnaroli rice and stir for 2 minutes, coating every grain in the butter and marrow. The rice should feel hot to the touch and look slightly pearly at the edges, but it must not toast darkly.

4. 4

   Pour in the white wine and stir steadily until the liquid has almost completely evaporated. This step removes the raw edge of the wine while leaving a gentle acidity that balances the richness of the butter and cheese.

5. 5

   Add 1 ladle of hot broth, about 120 ml, and stir until the rice absorbs most of the liquid. Continue adding broth in 100 to 120 ml additions, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be mostly absorbed before adding the next.

6. 6

   After about 12 minutes of broth additions, stir in the saffron infusion, including the strands. Continue cooking for 4 to 6 minutes more, adding broth as needed, until the rice is al dente and suspended in a loose, creamy wave.

7. 7

   Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 30 g butter and the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Cover the pan for 2 minutes, then stir vigorously to emulsify the risotto into a glossy texture known in Italian as all'onda.

8. 8

   Taste and add the measured sea salt only if needed, depending on the saltiness of the broth and cheese. Serve immediately in warm shallow bowls, because authentic risotto should flow softly rather than sit stiffly on the plate.