King's Risotto
The risotto said to be King Charles's favorite — golden saffron rice laced with gorgonzola and truffle cream, finished with cold butter and fresh black truffle shaved tableside.
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 14 oz (400 g) | Carnaroli rice |
| 5 oz (150 g) | gorgonzola |
| 1¾ oz (50 g) | truffle cream |
| 0.5 g | saffron pistils |
| 2¾ oz (80 g) | Tropea red onion |
| ⅓ cup (90 g) | dry white wine |
| 4 cups (1 l) | chicken broth, hot |
| extra-virgin olive oil | |
| fine salt | |
| 2¾ oz (80 g) | Parmigiano Reggiano (or Grana Padano), grated |
| 2¾ oz (80 g) | butter, from the freezer |
| gorgonzola, extra (for serving) | |
| black truffle, fresh (for serving) |
If the Queen's Risotto is elegance, the King's is pure indulgence. Saffron pistils, soaked for two hours, turn the rice a deep royal gold; molten gorgonzola and truffle cream are stirred in during the final minutes; and a mantecatura with ice-cold butter gives it a gloss that no warm butter can match. Each plate is finished with black truffle shaved directly over the bowl. Rich, aromatic, and unmistakably regal.
Ingredient notes: The saffron pistils are soaked in cold water for two hours — this extracts maximum color and aroma, so do it first. Freezer-cold butter is the trick for a perfect mantecatura: it emulsifies slowly and gives the risotto an extraordinary shine. Fresh black truffle is the crowning glory.
- Small bowl (for the saffron soak)
- Large saucepan (for the risotto)
- Wooden spoon
- Truffle shaver or fine grater
- Soak the saffron (2 hrs). Put the saffron pistils in a small bowl, cover with cold water, and leave to soak for 2 hours.
- Start the soffritto (3 min). Finely chop the Tropea onion and stew it gently in a generous drizzle of oil in a large saucepan.
- Toast the rice (3 min). Add the rice and toast, stirring constantly, until the grains are hot to the touch. Deglaze with the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate completely.
- Cook the risotto (15 min). Add the chicken broth one ladle at a time, waiting for each to be absorbed. After about 3 minutes, stir in the saffron with its soaking water. A couple of minutes later, add the gorgonzola and stir until fully melted, then the truffle cream. Cook 3-4 minutes more.
- Manteca (2 min). Off the heat, stir in the freezer-cold butter (cut into cubes), extra gorgonzola cubes, the grated Parmigiano, and a thread of oil. Mix energetically until glossy.
- Serve (2 min). Plate and shave fresh black truffle directly over each bowl.
- Soak saffron for two hours. Cold-water soaking extracts maximum color and aroma — don't skip it.
- Freezer-cold butter. The cold butter emulsifies slowly, giving the risotto an unmatched shine.
- Melt the gorgonzola fully. Stir until no streaks remain — a smooth, uniform cheese sauce.
- Add truffle cream late. It perfumes without cooking away.
- Toast until hot to the touch. Properly toasted rice feels rovente (very hot) when touched.
- Shave truffle last. Fresh truffle aroma is volatile — shave it directly over each hot bowl.
| Mistake | Why It Hurts | The Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Skipping the saffron soak | Pale, weak color | Soak pistils 2 hours in cold water |
| Warm butter in the mantecatura | Oily, flat finish | Use freezer-cold butter, cubed |
| Gorgonzola not melted | Cheese streaks | Stir until completely smooth |
| Boiling the broth in | Scorched, uneven rice | Gentle simmer, one ladle at a time |
| Cooking truffle cream too long | Lost perfume | Add in the last minutes only |
| Over-salting | Cheeses bring plenty of salt | Taste before adding salt |
- Parmigiano-only: Use all Parmigiano and skip the gorgonzola for a milder, golden risotto.
- Truffle Oil Finish: If fresh truffle is unavailable, finish with a few drops of white truffle oil.
- Walnut Crunch: Scatter toasted walnuts for texture.
- Red Wine Version: Deglaze with Barolo for a darker, more rustic king.
- Pistachio Dust: A dusting of crushed pistachios adds color and crunch.
| Storage Method | Details |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. |
| Freezer | Not recommended — the cheese emulsion breaks on thawing. |
| Reheating | Warm gently in a skillet with a splash of broth, stirring until creamy. |
This is a grand, luxurious risotto — pour something worthy:
- Franciacorta Brut — Bubbles cut through the cheese and truffle richness.
- Barolo — Nebbiolo's power and perfume match the truffle.
- Chardonnay (oaked) — Buttery notes echo the cheese.
- Gavi di Gavi — Crisp minerality as a contrast.
| Per Serving (about 1¼ cups) | |
|---|---|
| Calories | 620 |
| Protein | 18 g |
| Fat | 26 g |
| Carbohydrates | 76 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
Nutrition values are approximate and will vary with brand choices and substitutions.
Who is the "King" in the name?
The recipe is said to be a favorite of King Charles — the indulgent counterpart to the Queen's Risotto.
Do I really need to soak saffron for 2 hours?
It makes a visible difference in color and aroma. If you're short on time, soak at least 30 minutes in warm (not hot) water.
Can I use saffron powder?
Yes, but use a small pinch — powder is more concentrated and less aromatic than pistils.
What if I can't find truffle cream?
Finely chop a bit of truffle (or use truffle paste) and add it with the final butter. Truffle oil works as a last resort.
Why freezer-cold butter?
Cold butter melts slowly, emulsifying into the rice and giving it a glossy, velvet texture that warm butter can't achieve.
- Risotto della Regina (Volume 3)
- Risotto allo Zafferano (Volume 3)
- Risotto ai Funghi e Tartufo (Volume 3)
Recipe from "The Italian Kitchen" by Vita Milanese — Volume 3: Risotto & Rice
Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 3 · Risotto & Rice. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.