Recipe: Alexa's Pepper-Studded Risotto Alla Milanese (using white wine)

ALEXA'S PEPPER-STUDDED RISOTTO ALLA MILANESE

"This risotto - concocted b y cookbook editor an friend Alexa Stace - is yellow as a tropical sunset, scented with saffron, and studded with peppers."

2 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 each: yellow, red, green, orange bell peppers, diced (1 1/2 to 2 peppers each color)
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
2 1/2 cups hot chicken broth
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
2 pinches saffron threads, dissolved in 2 tablespoon water
6 tablespoons fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper

Lightly saute the shallots and garlic in the butter until softened, then add half of the peppers and cook for a minute or two, stirring.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in the rice, cook briefly, then pour 2/3 cup of the hot broth into the rice, stirring constantly as it cooks.

When the liquid had been absorbed, add more broth and continue stirring and cooking until this too has been absorbed.

Continue this gradual adding of liquid and stirring, moving on to the wine in about 3 batches, after you have used up all the broth. After the first addition of wine, stir in the reserved peppers, and the saffron with its yellow-colored water and add another slosh of wine. Keep stirring and cooking and add the remaining wine. When the risotto is ready, your grains of rice will be bound by a creamy sauce. It should not be too thick, however, so add more water, broth, or wine if it looks too glutinous. (A risotto takes about 30 minutes to cook; some rice take less, say 25, while others take substantially more, perhaps 45-50 minutes.)

When the rice grains are al dente (tender but still firm to bite) stir in the cheese and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings
Source: Peppers, Peppers, Peppers by Marlena Spieler