Risotto alla milanese

Milano is the Italian city to enjoy life, you can get here whatever you want, whenever you want!

I live close to a supermarket open 24 hours...close to a delicious Chinese restaurant...close to an amazing flower shop/bar...close to a trendy shop...close to a Maison de Mode ...close to ...close to...Milan is Milan! Fashion, business, design, galleries, art, gourmet and/or exotic food ...Omnia Omnibus Ubique!

Milan traditional dish is so vintage so gold and definitely delicious: Risotto allo zafferano. It is a very good option for a Sunday lunch or for a dinner in which you'll bewitch your guests!

320gr Carnaroli or Arborio rice (serving 4)
1 onion very finely chopped
Light vegetable broth (celery, carrot and tomato)
Saffron threads (or if you don’t find them, powder could be also good)
White wine
30gr butter
Parmesan
Black pepper

In a pot, prepare the light broth (I prefer the veggies broth since I think that the chicken or meat broth are too intese for the saffron roundedness).

In a large saucepan or pot,  put the oil (a spoon per person plus one for the pot) with the chopped onion over low heat. When the onion is browned, add the rice and stir in to coat over medium heat. Pour in a glass of white wine, when reduced, pour in the broth to cover all the rice and simmer for 15/18 minutes without turning.

Add some broth, if needed and check the cooking. Some minutes (5/8) before the rice is ready, add the saffron threads. Turn the stove off, melt the butter gently.

Serve with parmesan flakes and roughly ground black pepper.



Spezzatino di manzo primaverile

This unforeseen breezy May brings a springly, light beef stew for 2 to the table for a tasty and protein beginning of the week!

400 gr beef cut into bite-sized chunks (bottom round roast, cheap and lean cut of meat)
2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon of tomato paste
ginger
nutmeg
Djion mustard
flour
salt
pepper
olive oil
white wine

Set a pot on the stove over medium-high heat with the carrots, the leek, the celery stalk (roughly chopped) and the tomato paste. Flavour with a pinch of ginger, nutmeg, salt and 2 cups of water, some olive oil for 10 min.

Rub the meat with salt and pepper then brush the chuncks with the mustard and flour them.

Put the immersion blender* into the pot for less than a minute then add the beef chuncks, 1/2 cup of white wine and other water, if necessary, to cover all the meat.

Simmer covered for 30/40 min.

This is a very light and fresh version stew with no milk, cream, cinnamon and cloves that are more suitable for winter time.

 

*If you don't have an immersion blender or a food processor, you can cut all the vegetables in very small pieces ans simmer for 20 min.