> Rice & Risotto> Meaty Risotti

Boiled Beef With Rice - Lesso col Risotto
Boiled beef used to be one of the most common meats on the Italian table, both because the cuts are cheap and because it's a byproduct of making broth. Consequently, ways to put it to use were (and are) always welcome. This is a tasty risotto that will be nice as a one-course family meal.

Risotto with Lamb and Eggplant - Risotto con Agnello e Melanzane
Many Valentine's Day menus call for fish, especially shrimp. Not partial to it, or allergic to it? This sensual lamb risotto will be both tasty and a little unusual -- the perfect dish to serve in a romantic occasion, or an elegant meal.

Rice with Turkey, Mushrooms, and Peppers -- Riso con Tacchino, Funghi, e Peperon
This is a light recipe that one could serve as a first course in a traditional Italian meal. It will also be a good centerpiece for a light lunch, if accompanied by a crisp salad. A wine? White, for example a Tocai Friulano.

Risotto with Lentils and Pancetta -- Risotto con Lenticchie e Pancetta
The combination of rice and lentils works very well, and both are a perfect foil for pancetta. In short, winter comfort food.

Curried Risotto with Veal -- Risotto al Curry con la Vitella
Curried Risotto with Veal, or Risotto al Curry con la Vitella: Risotto is one of the most versatile dishes, and the variations are endless. This will work quite nicely as a light lunch if served with a with a tossed salad. In terms of a wine, I would drink a Vermentino dei Colli di Luni, a white wine from Tuscany and Liguria.

Quail with Rice -- Quaglie Col Riso
Quail with Rice, or Quaglie Col Riso: this recipe is typical of Romagna, and will also work with other kinds of birds, for example cornish game hens (or even small ducks), if you prefer. It's drawn from The Art of Eating Well (Random House, 1996), my translation of Pellegrino Artusi's La Scienza in Cucina e L'Arte di Mangiar Bene, the first truly successful Italian cookbook.

Overpowered Risotto -- Risotto Soffocato
Overpowered Risotto, or Risotto Soffocato: This is a Sardinian recipe, and to be frank I'm not sure why it's Soffocato -- perhaps because the rice is overcome by the meat and the tomatoes? If so, the result is certainly to our benefit.

Risotto with Coot -- Risotto con le Folaghe
Risotto with Coot -- Risotto con le Folaghe: This is a recipe from la bassa Ferrarese, the wetlands around the city of Ferrara in Emilia Romagna, and it's therefore not that surprising that it should feature coots, which are water fowl. They're quite flavorful, but do require care in preparation: Since they're bottom feeders their subcutaneous fat tends to have a muddy, gamy flavor, and in preparing them you should therefore skin them and trim away all traces of fat.

Risotto with Chicken -- Risotto Con il Pollo
Risotto with Chicken, or Risotto Con il Pollo: This is a classic recipe from Emilia Romagna; Alessandro Molinari Pradelli says it's from Modena, in Emilia, and the inclusion of a dash of balsamic vinegar supports his assertian. However, Pellegrino Artusi gives a very similar recipe without balsamic vinegar, and says his derived from a trip to Romagna. So you can make the Modenese version, with balsamic vinegar, or a more generic Emilia Romagnan version without. Either will be good.

Risotto Ko-Samui - A Chicken and Bell Pepper Risotto
Risotto Ko-Samui, or Ko-Samui Risotto: This is a creation of Gabriele Ferron, whose Antica Riseria Ferron is one of the most important producers of Vialone Nano rice; in addition to growing rice Gabriele is a tireless advocate of Vialone Nano and North Italian rice cookery in general, traveling all over the world to give demonstrations and host dinners.

Rice with Luganega Sausages -- Riso e Luganeghe
Riso e Luganeghe -- -- Rice with Luganega Sausages

Milner's Risotto -- Risotto alla Pilota
Milner's Risotto, or Risotto alla Pilota: The pilota is the person who works the pila, or rice mill, in the countryside around Verona, and since the job is physically demanding, the risotto is substantial.

Risotto with Tastasal -- Risotto col Tastasal
Risotto with Tastasal, or Risotto col Tastasal: This is another mainstay of the rice-producing areas of the Veneto, and is, by comparison with some creamy risotti, rather odd -- tastasal is the stuffing used to make salami, and indeed the housewives of the Bassa Veronese would make it to judge the seasoning of their salami before putting the filling into the casing.

Risotto Isolana Style -- Risotto All'Isolana
Risotto Isolana Style, or Risotto All'Isolana: This is from Isola della Scala, the heart of Verona's rice-growing district, and a very pretty area to visit, where you can still find the traditional waterwheel-driven mills used to separate the rice from the chaff. The best time to visit in is the fall, when there are festivals to celebrate the harvest. As with all traditional favorites, there are many variations to this recipe, and many cooks add secret ingredients.

A Chicken Risotto -- Risotto alla Pitocca
A Chicken Risotto: This is an old recipe; Pellegrino Artusi tells of being served something quite similar at the end of a long drive through the country more than a century ago, by an innkeeper who had just killed a brace of chickens when they arrived, and offered to whip something together. It will work quite nicely as a one-course meal, with a salad, and a zesty red wine, for example a Bardolino or a Chianti d'Annata. A good Lambrusco, for example Ermete Medici's Concerto, would also be nice.

Risotto Mantova Style -- Risotto alla Mantovana
Risotto Mantova Style: I'm not sure why a risotto made with sausages is alla Mantovana. The recipe calls for Mantovan sausages; in their absence substitute mild Italian sausages, not the more spicy variety.

Risotto with Sausages -- Risotto con le Salsicce
A simple, tasty winter dish that will be quite nice with Lambrusco -- a good choice since the acidity of the wine will contrast nicely with the fat from the sausage.

Rice Salad -- Insalata di Riso
Rice salad is one of those classic summer dishes that varies greatly from cook too cook; I have made it especially rich to give an idea of what can go into it. Feel free to tone it down or substitute other things to your taste.

Risotto for the Unsatisfied: Risotto per i Malcontenti
The bitterness of radicchio blends enticingly with lemony acidity to make a very happy dish.

Orange Scented Risotto with Chicken and Roasted Peppers
Interesting, and will be a full meal (with a salad).

Risotto with Chicken & Peppers
Another recipe that will make a meal (with a salad); I'd reduce the garlic, but it looks nice.

Risotto with Pork, Capers and Dried Tomatoes
A nice looking recipe that will make a meal with a salad.