Risotto alla Milanese

So one of the problems about writing blogposts after the fact is that you don't always really remember what dishes were like.  Right now, my mind is on the 45 cookies that I just decorated (another blogpost on that later), so it is hard to think back to eating risotto about a month or so ago.  So, I'll type up the recipe and see if that rings any bells:

Risotto alla Milanese from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

Ingredients: 

4-6 cups chicken, beef, or vegetable stock, or water
1/2 tsp saffron threads (optional)
2 tbsp. butter or extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. butter, softened (optional)
1 medium onion, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio or other short- or medium-grain rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste

Procedure:

1) Warm the liquid in a medium saucepan over medium heat, crumble the saffron into it, and leave the heat on.
2) Place the butter or oil in  a large saucepan or skillet, preferably non-stick, and turn the heat to medium. When it's hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes.
3) Add the rice and stir until it is coated with butter.  Add a little salt and pepper, then the white wine.  Stir and let the liquid bubble away.
4) Begin to add the warmed stock, 1/2 cup or so at a time, stirring after each addition and every minute or so.  When the stock is just about evaporated, add more.  The mixture should be neither soupy nor dry.  Keep the heat medium to medium-high, and stir frequently (constant stirring is not necessary).
5) Begin tasting the rice 20 mints after you add it; you want it to be tender but with still a tiny bit of crunch.  It could take as long as 30 minutes to reach this stage.  When it does, add the softened butter and Parmesan. Check the seasoning, adjust if necessary, and serve immediately.

I remember that we used leftover champagne from Thanksgiving as we had it around instead of the white rice.  I also used my homemade chicken stock, so the rice ended up tasting very chicken-y until we added in the Parmesan.  I liked it; but I remember thinking that I added in a bit too much parmesan.  Anyways, risotto was fun to make and something I will definitely make again.  Thanks to my friend Keri who originally sent me on the risotto path.

Risotto alla Milanese