Description
Dish Description
Risotto alla milanese is by far and by definition the knockout italian dish of seduction.
Typical from Milan, saffron risotto is the magic trick that makes any date successful. Romantic and elegant, its quintessential yellow colour is highly recognizable as a true culinary icon.
Despite its charming and brilliant esthetics, risotto alla milanese is also rich and complex in taste. It’s creamy and smooth, even if there isn’t any cream in the ingredients: its sensual battery texture is due to the perfect blend of saffron, rice starch, broth and parmesan.
On top of that, the killer feature of risotto alla milanese lies in its magnificent aroma, that gives you a complete sensorial experience. You can definitely guess at this point why saffron risotto is probably the most seductive dish of all the italian cuisine.
The history of risotto alla milanese
The history of saffron risotto has noble origins. According to a manuscript found at the Trivulziana Library, it dates back to the 1574. At the time, the Belgian painter and master glassmaker Valerio of Flanders was working on the Milan Cathedral, and held a big event in the city to celebrate his daughter’s wedding.
Saffron risotto seems to be born quite as a game by the hands of the master’s disciple, commonly known as Zafferano (Saffron) because of his habit of adding saffron to the colours of his palette to make them more brilliant.
At the wedding, he convinced his master to mix saffron into risotto in order to give it a unique colour and flavour. Their guests were so amused and impressed by those flavours and the golden colour that they named the dish Risotto alla milanese. A culinary legend was born.
Meal Kit Details
Riso Carnaroli superfino Riserva San Massimo (2 x 8,8oz)- Origin of rice: Italy. Produced in Groppello Cairoli (PV) – Italy
Parmigiano Reggiano grated and lyophilized cheese (2 x 1.05oz): Produced in Basilicanova (PR) – Italy.
100 % Grass Fed Ghee (Clarified butter), (2 x 1oz jar): Cultured organic grass-fed butter
100% Premium Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil (25ml) – First cold pressed extra virgin olive oil produced in Pomezia (Rome) – Italy.
Freeze-dried onions (2 x 0.35 Oz): Organically grown, non GMO minced onion packed in Brooklyn, NY
Aged White Wine Vinegar (25ml) produced in Pomezia (Rome) – Italy.
Fine sea Salt (2 x 0.53 Oz): Mediterranean Sea Salt, harvested from clear waters of the Mediterranean Sea and dried by natural solar evaporation. Packed in Brooklyn, NY
Saffron threads (0.2 gr) from Spain. Packed in Brooklyn, NY
FOOD ALLERGY WARNING: CONTAINS MILK.
4 Servings
Cooking Time 25 minutes
The recipe’s secret
Saffron
Saffron is obviously the ingredient that makes risotto alla milanese so special. Its charming colour, aroma and aphrodisiac properties are the luxurious key for any romantic date’s success. Prove us wrong!
Frequently named Red Gold, saffron is one of the world’s most precious and priciest spices. Its rarity and expensiveness are due to several reasons.
The main one is harvesting: it takes more than 40 hours of labour and 75000 flowers to collect just one pound of the spice. You can use indeed just one small part of the flower: the three coloured stigmata. Moreover, saffron requires warm climates and sunlight: it flowers only during October and November, and it’s produced almost only in Italy, Spain and Iran.
Here’s why one pound of saffron costs around 5000$ (more than 10000$ for 1kg).
Recommended for:
- Romantic dates
- Upscale banquets
- An elegant celebration for a special event