Saffron Risotto

There is nothing better than tucking into a plate of warm risotto in this cold weather. The creamy, richness is definitely something to look forward to. You don’t need a special occasion to treat yourself to this dish. It is unbelievably quick and inexpensive (besides the saffron itself) to put together and is easily adjusted for portions. I tend to use a 1:4 ratio for risotto to beef broth- it works out just right to give you the al dente texture you are looking for. I use beef broth simply because it adds an extra depth of flavour (umami, almost), however feel free to use vegetable broth to suit your preference. I find it’s best served with a pan fried fillet of fish such as sea bream (as in the picture above) or sea bass; alongside roasted vegetables.

Serves 4

Ingredients

  • 1 onion, grated or finely chopped
  • 1 clove of Garlic, grated or finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2g saffron
  • 400g Risotto Rice
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 1.6L Beef stock seasoned with saffron
  • 1/3 cup parmesan, grated
  • Chilli flakes (Optional)

Directions

  1. In a preheated pan, melt a tbsp of butter, and add in the onion and garlic. Allow them to sweat and turn light brown in colour.
  2. Add in a few threads of saffron, then toss in the 400g of risotto (straight out of the packet). Stir the risotto into the onion mixture and allow it toast for a couple of minutes before adding in the cup of chicken stock.
  3. Let it cook on medium heat for about a minute before adding in the beef stock in 1.5L increments until al dente. Continuously stir and ensure there’s enough stock in the risotto at any given time to prevent it from catching and boiling, causing a reduction (which you want to avoid).
  4. When it is al dente, lower the heat and add in the grated parmesan and small knobs of soften butter.
  5. Add in chilli flakes to your liking and serve (optional).

 

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