Risotto alla Milanese

Risotto alla Milanese is quite distinct from generic risotto, with several defining characteristics:

The Saffron: This is the key difference. Milanese risotto gets its signature golden color and delicate, slightly sweet flavor from saffron threads, which are bloomed in warm stock before being stirred into the rice. This creates both visual beauty and a unique taste profile.

Traditional Fat: Authentic versions use bone marrow (midollo) along with butter, giving the dish extra richness and depth. The marrow is scooped from beef bones and melted into the soffritto.

Simplicity: Unlike many modern risottos loaded with vegetables, proteins, or multiple flavors, Risotto alla Milanese is intentionally minimalist—just rice, stock, onion, white wine, saffron, marrow, butter, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Lombardy Tradition: It's traditionally served alongside osso buco, where the marrow from the veal shanks would be used in the risotto, creating a perfect pairing.

Texture: The saffron and marrow create a particularly creamy, luxurious mouthfeel that's different from other risottos.

So while the technique remains the same, the ingredients and flavor profile make it a very specific and elegant variation of the basic risotto formula.