What should you know before preparing saffron risotto?
Saffron risotto is a dish that comes from the Lombard tradition. This, however, should not be confused with the Milanese risotto because, although similar, its preparation is slightly different. The substantial difference between these two dishes is quite simple to identify: the second is not served accompanied by ox marrow or ossobuco.
The origins of saffron risotto probably derive from the “rice with zafran“. The latter is a dish already known in the Middle Ages that combined rice and saffron, which appeared on our territory around 1700. The first testimony in this regard is in a book of 1779, written by Antonio Nebbia, entitled “Il cuoco maceratese”. But how do you prepare this delicious risotto with a vibrant yellow color?
Ingredients for 4 people
- Half an onion,
- 280 g rice,
- 40 g butter,
- 1 sachet of saffron,
- Half a glass of white wine,
- 40 g Parmesan cheese,
- 1 liter of vegetable broth.
The times to consider to prepare the saffron risotto are as follows:
- Preparation – 15 minutes
- Cooking time – 30 minutes
How to prepare saffron risotto
Now let’s see how to prepare the classic risotto following this simple but delicious recipe … Start peeling an onion, divide it in half and finely cut a part of it. Then put it to brown in a previously heated pan in which you have melted 30 grams of butter. The sauté will be ready when the heat has wilted the onion. Add the rice to toast it. Blend the rice with white wine to give your saffron risotto an extra note of flavor.
Once the wine has evaporated, you can add the hot broth. You can prepare it at home with carrots, celery and onion (and other vegetables if you like them) or opt for the simplest and fastest preparation with the stock cube or ready-made broth. The risotto is cooked right in the broth, then start pouring it little by little, one ladle at a time, without ever letting it dry. Do not forget to continue stirring the rice throughout the process.
The addition of the main ingredient
When the rice is about halfway through cooking, you will need to add the fundamental ingredient of the dish: saffron. To do this you will first have to infuse it in a ladle of broth. This will then be filtered and poured on the risotto in preparation which, almost magically, will be tinged with a magnificent yellow color.
Once cooked, after about 20 minutes, you can remove everything from the heat, add the remaining butter and grated Parmesan cheese and then stir the saffron risotto. After a couple of minutes, necessary to combine all the flavors, you can finally serve your risotto to amaze all your guests.
To prepare a quality risotto you need quality ingredients!
The final advice we give you to prepare this dish is to choose good quality ingredients. What you choose plays a fundamental role in the success, being a very simple recipe and composed of few elements. Therefore, make a careful selection and you will see that the results will be seen… and they will taste it!
The ingredients for your saffron risotto
On DF-Gourmet you can find the ideal rice and spice. We have selected the best products among the excellences of our peninsula. Therefore, by viewing our shop you can find what you need to prepare a unique dish. Discover the Saffron of L’Aquila DOP of the Cooperativa Altopiano di Navelli and our selection of rice. With the right ingredients your saffron risotto will be perfect!
