Gold Leaf Risotto Milanese

ORIGIN: Lombardy // DIFFICULTY: Medium High // PREPARATION TIME: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients [4 people]

For the beef broth
Beef 18 oz.
Carrots 3.5 oz.
Onions 3.5 oz.
Celery 3.5 oz.
Coarse salt to taste
Clean beef marrow 2 oz.
Water 3 qt.

For the rice
Chopped onion 2 oz.
Butter 1.5 oz.
Carnaroli Acquerello rice 12 oz.
Saffron threads 1 pinch
White wine 2 oz.
Butter 1.5 – 2 oz.
Parmigiano reggiano cheese 3.5 oz.
Sieved beef broth 50 oz.
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
One edible gold leaf.

To make the broth
Place all the core ingredients except the marrow in a deep steel pot. Cook over medium-high heat for 2 hours.
Pour the broth through a fine sieve, and reserve.

To make the risotto
Place in a deep pot: butter, onion, and marrow, cook a few minutes, add the rice and saffron, salt and pepper and cover with white wine.
After the liquid has evaporated, pour little by little all the beef broth, stirring continuously for approximately 16 to 18 minutes. The risotto should look creamy at all times. When almost ready, remove and add the butter and Parmigiano Reggiano, add a little more butter and prepare to mount the plate.

Presentation
To present this risotto, you can use a black plate of about 12 inches. Place the risotto in the center of the plate and with the palm of your hand tap gently the bottom of the pot, until all the rice is on the plate. Place the gold sheet in the center of the risotto. Garnish with fresh thyme. Serve.

Once Upon a Time
“How much I envy you; you lift the curtain twice a day, and I do it only once”. That is what Placido Domingo told me after a performance of Margarita la Tornera at the Teatro Real in Madrid. What he meant was that I serve my food twice a day, and he only sings once. ■