Risotto Milanese

Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
• Pinch saffron threads
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup Aborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 2  tbsp greated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp butter
• 2 tsp grated lemon zest
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Makes 8 Servings

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve the saffron in 1 cup of the stock.
3. In a large nonstick saucepan, heat the oil. Saute the onion until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the rice; cook, stirring until translucent, about 1 minute.
4. Add the wine and 1/2 cup of the stock; cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding the stock, alternating between plain stock and saffron stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until the stock is absorbed before adding more, until the rice is just tender. The total cooking time should be 25-30 minutes. Stir in the cheese, butter, lemon zest, and pepper; serve at once.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts (1/2 cup per serving)

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. Rice is a wonderful comfort food when it's seasoned with the right flavors. Risotto is what I like ot think of as the official rice dish of Italy. It is so rich and creamy it melts in your mouth. The saffron and lemon zest add flavor and color to this dish.I used a special kind of olive oil in this dish: Milanese Gremolata Infused Olive Oil from The Imperial Olive in Williamsburg, VA. I think that particular olive oil gave this disha real, authentic Italian flavor. This side dish is wonderful with seafood, chicken, turkey and even lamb and veal. I made this risotto with the Lobster Milanese and they worked so well together. This dinner was so deliciously rich it filled me up. I didn't even have dessert the dinner was so filling. I highly recommend serving this dish for a special occasion because it's just as good as going out to a really nice restaurant and ordering an expensive dish.