Risotto with Red Onions, Thyme & Crescenza

The recipe below, as well as other fine recipes, may be found in the magazine A Tavola, February, 1999, Page 74: Indirizzo E-mail de A Tavola e atavola@planet.it

Riso Baldo	360 g.
Cipolle di Tropea	2 Grosse
Crescenza	100 g.
Vino Bianco Secco	1 Bicchiere
Burro	40 g.
Brodo di Carne	1 Lt. (circa)
Rametto di timo	1
Sale	Q.B.

Sbucciate le cipolle e tagliatele a fettine sottili, fatele appassire in 30 gr. di burro, bagnatele con 2-3 cucchai di vino e continuate la cottura a fiamma dolcissima finche saranno molto tenere; quindi sgocciolatele con una forchetta e tenetele da parte al caldo. Nella stessa pentola unite il burro rimasto e fatevi tostare il riso. Scaldate il brodo. Bagnate il riso con il vino e lasciatelo asciugare, quindi unite qualche fogliolina di timo, versate il brodo bollente a poco a poco e continuate la cottura mescolando di tanto in tanto.

Nel frattempo tagliate la Crescenza a pezzeti e pochi minuti prima del termine della cottura incorporatela al riso e lasciatela fondere. Unite quindi le cipolle stufate, spegnete il fuoco, profumate con altre foglioline di timo fresco e servite subito.

Arborio Rice	0.80 Lb.
Large Red Onions	2
Crescenza Cheese [See Note 1]	0.22 Lb.
White Wine - dry	1 Glass
Butter	2 1/3 Tbl.
Meat Broth	4 1/4 Cups
Thyme	5-6 Sprigs

Note 1: Crescenza cheese is difficult to find in the USA. Use Teleme ir any soft cheese with a bit of flavor.

Peel the onions and cut them into very thin slices. In the same pan that the risotto will be cooked, wilt the onions, add 2-3 tablespoons of wine and continue cooking with a very low flame, finishing when the onions are very tender and translucent. Stir the onions with a fork from time to time to keep then from sticking to the pan. Remove the onions from the pan and keep warm.

Add the butter and rice to the pan that the onions were cooked in. Toast the rice in the butter for a minute or so. Meanwhile bring the broth to a boil. Once the rice is toasted, add the rest of the wine, and some of the thyme to it. Cook until the wine has evaporated and rice is dry, but not sticking to the pan. Add hot broth to the rice little by little, letting each ladleful be absorbed before adding another.

In the meantime, cut the Crescenza (or other cheese) into small pieces. A few minutes before the rice is finished, add it to the rice, mix well and let the cheese melt. Add the cooked red onions and the rest of the fresh thyme to the risotto, mix well, turn off the heat. Serve immediately.