Linda’s Risotto Two Ways: Traditional

Recipes
Written By Linda Secondari

Risotto is the first dish I ever cooked. My father put me to work stirring the pot, standing on a kitchen stool, when I was 6 years old. He warned me not to drown the rice with broth, to stir it continuously, and to add more broth when my wooden spoon revealed the bottom of the pot. I have since then made this dish many times. Just as there are alternatives to meetings, there are alternative ways to cook risotto. I’m sharing the traditional recipe this month, (based on Marcella Hazan’s recipe in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking) and I will share the alternative recipe next month. (They are both really yummy!)

Ingredients

  • 5 cups stock

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 cup white wine

  • 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped

  • 2 cups arborio rice

  • Parmigiano rind

  • 1/2 cup (heaping) parmigiano*

  • 1/3 teaspoon saffron

 
 
 
 

Directions

  1. Bring broth to a boil, lower to a simmer and add saffron.

  2. Add 1 tablespoon butter into a pot, add onion, cook until translucent.

  3. Add rice, stir to coat.

  4. Add wine, stir the rice until evaporated.

  5. Add broth 1/2 cup at a time, stir continuously.

  6. After 30 minutes begin checking for doneness. When rice is 1-2 minutes from being done, add remaining butter and parmigiano, stir until melted.

  7. Remove from heat. Season to taste. Serve promptly.

Yield: 6 servings

 

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Linda Secondari

I’m Linda Secondari, founder of Studiolo Secondari and a publishing strategist with more than two decades of experience helping authors create books that resonate and find their audiences. I cut my teeth as an in-house Creative Director — most recently at Oxford University Press — where I partnered with editors, marketers, publishers, and authors to shape meaningful books and position them for real-world impact.

Those years taught me how books compete in a crowded marketplace: how they signal to readers, how they communicate value, and how they’re discovered. My work now centers on sharing that understanding with authors who want to produce books with clarity, intention, and a strong sense of where their place is.

I bring a blend of creative direction, editorial insight, and market strategy — all designed to help you approach your work with the mindset and confidence of a seasoned publishing professional.

http://linda-secondari.squarespace.com/
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