Risotto (Photo Getty)
On our Musical Menu this week is Verdi's Risotto
Born to a family of grocers and restaurateurs, it makes sense that opera composer Giuseppe Verdi had refined taste buds – and as a self-proclaimed connoisseur, Verdi had a particular love set aside for risotto! Described by his wife as "divine," Verdi's own risotto recipe may be lost to time, but his passion for the dish did lead to the naming of a popular risotto dish in his honour.
Ingredients
¾ lb Carnaroli rice
2 oz butter
3 oz mushrooms
3 oz asparagus tips
3 oz Prosciutto di Parma
3 oz canned tomatoes
3 ½ tablespoons cooking cream
4 cups vegetable or beef stock
3 oz grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
½ onion , thinly sliced
Instructions
Clean and finely mince the onion.Clean and thinly slice the mushrooms.Clean and blanch the asparagus in salted water: cool them in water and ice.
Finely mince the Prosciutto.
Blanch the tomatoes, peel, seed and cut them into cubes.In a pot melt ¼ of the butter, add the onion and slowly cook it until soft and golden.Add the rice and toast it for about 1 minutes.
Add the stock, 1 ladle at the time, waiting until has been absorbed before adding the next one.After 8/10 minutes add mushrooms, Prosciutto, asparagus and tomatoes.Stir well, cook fopr another 2 minutes and add the cream.
When the rice is "al dente"(about 18 minutes) add butter and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, stir well and cover with a lid. Let it rest for 2 minutes and serve.