Farro Risotto Milanese
Saffron-infused wine and chicken stock with carrot, onion and chili pepper adds deep flavor to farro.
Ingredients
- A generous pinch of saffron threads (24-30 threads)
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (32 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 Fresno chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- About 2 cups farro
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese or grated Grana Padano cheese
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (a handful)
Preparation
In a small saucepan, steep the saffron in the chicken (or vegetable) stock over medium-low heat. Keep warm.
In a round-bottomed pot, heat the EVOO, a couple of turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the carrot, onion, chili pepper and garlic and stir for a couple of minutes to soften. Add the farro and stir for a minute more; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the wine and let evaporate, about 1 minute. Add a few ladlefuls of the saffron stock at a time, stirring vigorously with each addition. Allow the liquids to mostly evaporate before adding more. Cook the farro for 20 minutes total, using all of the liquid. In the last minute of cooking, stir in the butter and cheese.
While the risotto is working, toast the nuts and pulse them in a food processor into fine crumbs. Combine the almond crumbs with the orange zest and parsley. Serve the risotto in shallow bowls and garnish with the orange gremolata.
