Saffron Risotto with Shaved Bottarga

Italian · Year-round · 40 min · Serves 4 · By Eleanor March

Risotto alla Milanese, with a small but defining trespass. The bottarga goes on at the end, where it tastes like the briny ghost of the sea. A few shavings is all you need.

Ingredients

• 1.2L hot chicken or vegetable stock
• A pinch (about 0.2g) Río Azafrán coupé saffron
• 2 tablespoons Fattoria Rossi cultured butter
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 320g carnaroli rice
• 120ml dry white wine
• 60g parmigiano, grated
• Bottarga di Cabras, for shaving
• Olio del Monte Castelvetrano oil, to finish

Method

1. Bloom the saffron in 100ml of the hot stock. Set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a heavy pan. Sweat the onion gently until translucent, about 6 minutes.
3. Add the rice and stir to coat each grain in fat. Toast for 90 seconds, until the edges go glassy.
4. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Add the saffron stock, then add the remaining stock a ladle at a time, stirring often, until the rice is just al dente.
5. Off the heat, beat in the parmigiano and a final knob of butter until creamy. Rest for 90 seconds.
6. Spoon into warm shallow bowls. Shave the bottarga generously over the top. Finish with a thread of olive oil.