I'd been wanting to make a good saffron risotto for a long time. And I just *adore* risotto. Love it, love it. It is one of my winter comfort foods. I planned to develop one and serve it for Christmas, since I'd served the green risotto for Thanksgiving and didn't want to repeat.
However, with the move and everything, I sort of skipped the "develop it" phase and went straight into Christmas eve with complete experimentation. Thankfully, it worked out!
Saffron Risotto
4 cans chicken stock
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 tsp plus 1/4 tsp crushed saffron threads
1 cup sweet white wine
2 Tbsp garlic
1 to 1 1/2 cups freshly grated hard cheese
butter
olive oil
Put the chicken stock in a covered pan and heat to simmering on the back of the stove. Add 1/4 tsp of saffron to the simmering broth.
Coat the bottom of the pan for your risotto with a couple teaspoons of olive oil plus 1 tablespoon butter. Add garlic and dry rice; stir until rice is translucent and toasted. Deglaze pan with white wine.
Add two ladlefulls of chicken stock to pan. Add rest of saffron to pan. Stir, let cook simmering until stock is absorbed. Keep repeating with rest of stock until it is all absorbed and risotto is creaming.
Constant stirring isn't necessary. Keep the temp on the pan low, and gently simmering, and keep an eye on it as you do other things. Trust me, it'll work out wonderfully.
At the end, remove from heat and stir in 2-4 tbsp butter (to taste) and the grated cheese. It will be a bright yellow color, and will have a nutty flavor with a hint of something in the afterbite that I think must have been the saffron.
I purred as I ate mine. Very rich. Very yummy.
Posted by Deb Atwood at January 6, 2005 08:10 PM | TrackBack