Fondue Risotto, or Risotto alla Fonduta: Should Valentine's Day or another romantic occasion be approaching, you'll find a number of recipes on the Valentine's Day page, and Spaghetti al cartoccio, fish-sauced pasta baked in a foil packet that one opens at table (most impressive) will also be quite nice. And here's another libidinous idea. To serve 4 you'll need:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) rice
- 8 ounces (200 g) fontina, a mild cheese that melts well
- 2/3 cup (150 ml) milk
- 1 quart (1 liter) simmering beef broth or unsalted bouillon
- Half an onion, sliced into wedges
- A small black truffle (not absolutely necessary, but a nice touch)
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- Unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Thinly slice the cheese and set it to soak in the milk for several hours.Bring the broth to a boil. Slice the onion into wedges and sauté it in a walnut-sized chunk of butter over a medium flame until it becomes translucent. Warm the wine, and in the meantime stir the rice into the onion and sauté it too for a couple of minutes, stirring briskly lest it stick and burn. Splash the wine into the pot and continue to cook, stirring, until it has evaporated. Begin adding broth a ladle at a time, gently stirring lest it all stick down.
When the rice reaches the al dente stage fish out and discard the pieces of onion. Stir in the cheese and the milk, check seasoning, and cook for about 3 more minutes. Divvy the risotto into dishes and serve, dusting the bowls with thinly sliced truffle.
If you don't have truffles, you can use truffle paste, adding it when you add the cheese. In terms of a wine, I'd go with something sparkling, say a Franciacorta.
