The primary lunch of the wine journey to Lombardia final October featured a risotto with radicchio, scamorza, and Bonarda (pink wine). I actually favored it and recreated it at dwelling. An essential ingredient is the brodo di carne, a combined meat inventory of beef and hen. You can substitute it with vegetable inventory to make this vegetarian and it could nonetheless be scrumptious, however the meat does improve the depth of taste and texture of the risotto. Radicchio is red-colored Italian chicory. In case you can’t discover it, you’ll be able to substitute with one other sort of chicory, akin to Belgian endive (also called witlof). Scamorza is a smoked Italian cheese. In case you can’t discover it, you’ll be able to substitute with one other sort of smoked cheese. Bonarda is a pink wine from Lombardia. In case you can’t discover it, you’ll be able to substitute with one other sort of pink wine.
Substances
For two-3 servings
- 200 grams (1 cup) risotto rice, akin to carnaroli or arborio
- 100 grams (about 2 cups) chopped radicchio + a bit extra for garnish
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) pink wine, ideally Bonarda
- 75 grams (3 oz) scarmoza, diced
- 750 ml (3 cups) home made Italian meat inventory of hen and beef, with out salt
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 20 grams (1 1/2 Tbsp) butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- salt and freshly floor black pepper
Directions
Pour the meat inventory right into a pot and convey it nearly to a boil. Hold it scorching however not fairly boiling.
Warmth 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, low, thick-bottomed pan. Add a minced shallot, and stir over medium warmth till the shallot is translucent.
Add 100 grams of chopped radicchio.
Stir over medium warmth till the the radicchio has wilted considerably. Season with salt.
Add 200 grams risotto rice.
Toast the rice for a few minutes over medium-high warmth.
Deglaze with 120 ml of pink wine. Regulate the warmth such that the wine is boiling gently. Stir till the wine has been absorbed.
When the wine has been absorbed, add a ladle of scorching inventory.
Stir till the inventory has been absorbed, then add one other ladle of inventory. Hold stirring and including inventory till the rice is al dente, about 16 to 18 minutes.
Once you run out of inventory earlier than the rice is cooked to your liking, change to scorching water. Style whether or not the rice is cooked and all dente: it shouldn’t be arduous, however not mushy both.
When the rice is finished, flip the warmth to very low. Add one other lade of scorching inventory, 75 grams of diced scarmoza, and 20 grams of diced chilly butter. Season with freshly floor black pepper.
Flip off the warmth, and stir till the cheese and butter have melted. Style and modify the seasoning with salt and freshly floor black pepper.
Enable the risotto to relaxation for a few minutes.
Serve the risotto on preheated plates, garnished with some uncooked radicchio on high.
Wine pairing
This pairs properly with an fruity and fragrant however dry white wine, or a fruity pink wine with low tannins akin to a Bonarda. A tannic pink wine would most likely conflict with the bitter notes of the radicchio.