A Milanese classic and the signature dish of the Ratanà restaurant in Milan. A recipe made "as it once was" which until the end of the year becomes solidarity. In fact, this is just one of the dishes with which over 80 restaurants have joined the "Action against hunger" campaign
In a very hard year for world catering, initiatives to support those who experience the crisis as normality do not stop. We are talking about hunger and malnutrition in the world at the center of the activities of the Action Against Hunger association, an international humanitarian organization that has been active for 40 years in over 50 countries around the world. For the sixth consecutive year, restaurants, chefs and gourmets also line up at his side in the Restaurants Against Hunger campaign, which in recent years has found hospitality in over 700 Italian catering businesses. During this edition, within the restaurants participating in the initiative, Italians will be able to donate two euros for a "solidarity dish", 50 cents for a "solidarity pizza or sandwich" and the same amount for a bottle of water. A small contribution to ideally add a seat at the table to one of the many children who live in the poorest areas of the South of the world. There is time until December 31 to do good, help restaurateurs and all those in need.
Cesare Battisti, chef of the restaurant Ratanà of Milan, adheres with its most iconic and Milanese recipe: the risotto with ossobuco, done the old fashioned way (or maybe as he would say, just fine).
Ingredients for four people
For the risotto
250 g of authentic Carnaroli rice (Riserva San Massimo)
800 g of meat broth
1⁄2 onion
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
60 g of alpine butter
90 g of typical Lodi grated cheese
20 saffron pistils
1 sachet of saffron powder
Method
In a saucepan, combine the extra virgin olive oil and half an uncut onion; to wither. Remove the onion and add the rice until it becomes translucent.
Start cooking with the filtered meat broth, add the saffron powder and pistils and cook for 14 minutes.
Turn off the heat, stir in the cheese and butter.
For the ossobuco
4 veal marrowbones of 250/300 g each
2 medium carrots
1 onion
1 stalk of celery
2 glasses of white wine
2 glasses of veal broth
20 g extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs of sage and rosemary
A sprig of parsley
The grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Salt and Pepper To Taste.
30 g of dried porcini mushrooms
Method
Clean the ossobuchi by removing or cutting the external cartilage that would make them curl during cooking, cut the vegetables into small pieces and sauté them in an earthenware pan. Separately, brown the meat and, when it is golden on both sides, place it on the vegetables and add sage, rosemary, white wine and mushrooms. Lower the heat, cover and continue cooking for about 1 1/4 hours, adding broth if the bottom gets too dry. Once cooked, transfer them to another pan, the stock and the vegetables passed through a vegetable mill. They will then cover themselves with the sauce obtained.
When serving, sprinkle them with the "gremolata", chopped rosemary and lemon zest. In the past, a salty anchovy and a fresh garlic clove were also added to the mince, flavors that are perhaps too strong for today's palates. Ossobuco goes well with Milanese risotto.
