It’s spring here in Bordighera, Italy, and the radicchio is fresh and just slightly bitter! Patrizia’s been cooking her fav0urite Italian dishes for me and this delectable meal was today’s lunch… Bravissimo!

1/2 onion, diced and sauteed in 1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cup arborio or canaroli rice

3 cup vegetable stock, heated in a pot and kept hot while cooking the risotto

1 head radicchio, Treviso or other variety

1 tbsp butter

In a skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil and add diced onion. Saute till translucent and then add rice. Gently stir rice into the onion and oil and then let the rice “roast” and start to gently turn opaque and more golden. Add 1/4 cup of white wine or Prosecco, stir and then let the rice absorb the liquid. Keep an eye on the risotto and after a few minutes or so, add a couple of ladlefuls of hot stock.. Stir in radicchio and gently let stock absorb while the rice steams. Add another couple of ladlefuls of stock, stir, and again, gently simmer the risotto. Continue this process till the rice is al dente and the moisture mostly absorbed. The key is the rice — al dente is criticial. Then, to finish the dish, add a tablespoon of butter, stir and then cover with the pot lid for minute or two to rest.