Being from a Calabrese Italian family, it may seem odd that risotto is a staple dish of my childhood. As Southern Italians, we tend to stick to delicious pastas of meat sauce, stuffed peppers, lasagna, sardella on crusty bread and baccala at Christmas time. The list goes on and on, but usually doesn’t include rice.

Despite my heritage, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t recognize the name, smell and flavor of Risotto alla Milanese. The dish, which translates to risotto from Milan, includes the aromatically subtle and delicate spice of saffron, onion, white wine, parmesan cheese and chicken broth, with a sprinkle of Italian parsley for garnish.