A classic northern Italian dish, Milanese Risotto is traditionally made with meat stock.
Kamini Patel tweaks it to create a vegetarian version that also features a topping: Bottle gourd flower stuffed with ricotta and fried into a fritter.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Aramness
Milanese Risotto
Serves: 2
Ingredients
For the risotto
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic pod, finely chopped
- 1 cup raw Arborio rice, an Italian short-grain rice, available in gourmet grocery store and online
- 1 l vegetable stock (please see stock recipe right below)
- 1½ tsp kesar or saffron strands
- ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp butter to finish
- Freshly cracked black pepper
For the vegetable stock
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 3 onions, finely chopped
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, bashed
- 5 peppercorns, whole
- 2 l of water
- Bouquet garni of 2 parsley stalks with leaves, 2 thyme sprigs, 1 bay leaf, tied together with a food-safe string
For the bottle gourd flower stuffed fritter
- 8 doodhi or lauki or bottle gourd flowers, washed gently and dried completely (please see the note below)
For the bottle gourd flower stuffing
- ½ cup ricotta cheese
- ½ tbsp capers, finely chopped
- Lemon zest or peel
- ½ tsp red chilly flakes
- Salt to taste
For the batter for the bottle gourd flower
- Few fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
- ½ cup maida or all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- 100 ml club soda, chilled
- ½ tsp salt
- Oil, for deep frying
For the garnish
- Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
- Freshly crushed black pepper
- Parsley, finely chopped
- Parmesan cheese shavings
Method
For the vegetable stock
- Boil the garlic, vegetables, peppercorns, bouquet garni, water in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Skim and then turn the heat down to a simmer.
Continue to simmer gently for 3-4 hours, skimming as necessary.
Take off heat and pass the stock through a fine sieve.
Cool, and then refrigerate till required.
For the risotto
- Warm the stock to a simmer and keep aside.
Take 1 cup of the hot stock and place in another saucepan or bowl with the saffron.
Set this aside to infuse.
- Heat the olive oil and the butter in a pot, and saute the onion, garlic for about 5 minutes until the onions become translucent.
Add the raw rice and stir for a few minutes until the rice grains are coated and glossy and a crackling sound begins.
Increase the heat to medium, and add the saffron-infused stock to the rice, stirring constantly, until it is absorbed.
Add the rest of the stock, bit by bit, until the rice is cooked through al dente (or has a bite to it), stirring continuously.
At the end, add the additional 2 tsbp finishing butter and the grated parmesan cheese.
Take off heat.
For the bottle gourd flower fritter stuffing
- Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl.
Place ½ tbsp of stuffing into each flower and gently squeeze the ends of the flower together to seal it.
Keep aside.
For the bottle gourd flour fritter batter
- Whisk the batter ingredients together just before frying the flowers.
Heat the oil.
Dip each flower into the batter and deep fry few minutes on each side.
Drain onto a paper towel or tissue-lined plate.
To serve
- Divide the risotto equally into two plates or ideally two coup plates (plates for pasta and risotto that are a cross between a bowl and a plate).
Mill fresh black pepper on top, along with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, parmesan cheese and parsley.
Serve garnished with the flower fritters (please see pic above).
Note: Bottle gourd flowers are difficult to locate and are seasonal. Doodhi or lauki can be grown in a flat/apartment window box garden and you can access your own harvest of flowers :). Alternatively replace with banana flowers. Or batter fry cheese-coated canned artichokes.
Kamini Patel is the food consultant at Aramness lodge at Gir forest, Gujarat.
