Milan Risotto

Have 1 litre or more of clear salted broth made (preferably) by boiling ca 500 grams or more of beef and bones for about 2 hrs or more. Alternatively you can use cubes for an easiest and fastest preparation (but it will not taste the same). Keep the broth boiling in a pot on the fire. Finely chop a small onion, then stir fry it for about a minute (don`t let it turn brown) with about 50 grams of butter. If you wish, you may also add one possibly-Italian red sausage cut in small pieces, and let all fry for an additional 3-5 minutes at a low flame. This is however a variation of the traditional recipe. Add the rice (suggested Arborio or Roma rice, definitely not Uncle Ben's or similiar), and stir. Add the glass of wine and let it dry out stirring continuously. Turn the flame down to the minimum, or just above. Start adding two dippers of the boiling broth until it evaporates, stirring the rice continuously. Then add again two dippers at a time when the rice gets dry, and continue the same way until the rice is ready (about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the rice you are using, taste for consistency). Definitely avoid versing the whole broth at large at once, but keep versing it in small quantities, and stir. Make sure all the broth with the rice has evaporated before serving. Just before taking it off the fire add the grated parmesan cheese and stir well. Add salt if needed. At this point you already have a tasty Parmesan risotto. For a "Risotto alla Milanese", add the saffron (in Italy they sell it in small packages of the proper amount) in the end and stir well one last time. The recipe for Parmesan risotto is the base recipe for almost all the other "risotti" you may prepare. You can add champagne or beer instead of wine, or you can stew peas, mushrooms, asparagi or artichokes (always finely chopped) with some broth just before adding the rice. Or just anything else you may want to experiment with (e.g. with apples or prunes you will make an excellent "nouvelle cousine" risotto, but in this case instead of parmesan you should use cream).