Though the title might strike one as odd, it's apt: It will make things look better, as I discovered one night that I was decidedly grumpy. You'll need:
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups (350-400 g) Vialone Nano or other short grained rice
- 1/4 pound (100 g) radicchio Variegato di Castelfranco
- 1/4 pound (100 g) Radicchio rosso di Treviso, ideally the tardivo variety
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano
- A small onion, finely chopped
- The juice of 1 1/2 lemons, and the grated zest of one of them
- 3/4 cup (150 g) unsalted butter (you easily could reduce this by a third)
- 2 quarts simmering meat broth (unsalted bouillon will work, as will vegetable broth)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation:
Wash, dry, and slice the radicchio, finely but not too finely.
Sauté the onion in half the butter, and when it becomes golden (but not yet brown) add the radicchio and sauté it too for 5 minutes.
Add the rice and sauté another minute, stirring constantly, then sprinkle the lemon juice into the pot, and, when it has evaporated, begin adding the broth a ladle at a time, stirring gently. Mid-way through the cooking check seasoning and add the lemon zest, and when the rice reaches the proper al dente stage stir in the remaining butter and half of the cheese. Cover and let sit a minute, then serve with the remaining cheese on the side, as well as salt and pepper.
Note: In the absence of radicchio, use firm salad greens that have some bitter bite to them, along the lines of endive, for example.
Sauté the onion in half the butter, and when it becomes golden (but not yet brown) add the radicchio and sauté it too for 5 minutes.
Add the rice and sauté another minute, stirring constantly, then sprinkle the lemon juice into the pot, and, when it has evaporated, begin adding the broth a ladle at a time, stirring gently. Mid-way through the cooking check seasoning and add the lemon zest, and when the rice reaches the proper al dente stage stir in the remaining butter and half of the cheese. Cover and let sit a minute, then serve with the remaining cheese on the side, as well as salt and pepper.
Note: In the absence of radicchio, use firm salad greens that have some bitter bite to them, along the lines of endive, for example.
