Risotto

(Saffron Rice)
This is an excellent dish to serve with veal or chicken. If you like, you may stir in 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese just before serving. This dish is also good enriched with mushrooms or minced chicken livers.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1 small onion, minced or grated (about 1/3 cup)
1 cup Arborio rice
4 cups hot, homemade chicken stock, or 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 4 cups boiling water
1/4 tsp. saffron stigmas, crumbled

Steps

Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion and rice and sauté over low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.

Add 1 cup stock, bring to a slow boil, and cook until all the stock is absorbed, stirring constantly to prevent sticking (the time varies according to the rice used and the heat; it usually takes about 7 minutes).

Add another cup of stock and continue cooking. Add the saffron to the remaining hot stock.

When the rice has absorbed all the liquid, add another cup. Continue cooking and stirring. When this is absorbed, test for doneness.

If the rice is not tender, continue adding stock, 1/4 cup at a time, until it is done. It should be tender but not mushy. The entire process takes about 30 minutes.