Delicious Riso in Cagnone to Make at Home
Italian rice and a whole bunch of butter and cheese
While risotto still gets most of the attention here in the U.S. when it comes to Italian rice preparations, there’s an alternative I’ll propose that’s equally delicious and even easier to make. In Italian, it’s called riso in cagnone, or riso al burro.
To make the dish, start with some really good Italian rice. We have one of my favorites at the Deli right now, from the remarkable rice farm of Cascina Oschiena. Biodiversity, bird sanctuaries, land restoration, and commitment to community all come together to yield some terrific rice (and yes, you really can taste the difference!).
Bring fresh cold water to a boil, add a bit of sea salt to taste, and, once the water is boiling, add rice—roughly a generous handful per person. Get a bunch of good butter—Vermont Creamery Cultured Butter is, of course, my choice—at room temperature. (To be clear, not melted, not cold—room temperature.) Put the butter at the bottom of a mixing bowl.
When the rice is al dente, drain the liquid (or save it—rice broth from good rice is really delicious) and pour it over the butter. Mix well, and add salt and pepper to taste. For the simplest version, grate on a bunch of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese; what we have on from the folks at Valserena—made solely with the milk of their herd of Brown Swiss cows—is fantastic. (Valserena is the oldest dairy in the Parma area and one of just four that use only Brown Swiss cows.) Now have at it! Simple, soul warming, delicious.
A slightly more complex approach would be to lightly brown fresh sage leaves and/or fresh garlic in more butter on the side. When it all browns, pour it over the rice.
My own spring version has been to cook some asparagus on the side and cut it into one-inch pieces. When mixing the butter and the rice, add the asparagus. ’Tis the season! You can do the same with fresh peas, fresh herbs, sauteed zucchini, and so on.
Again, this is an easy dish to prepare. Tradition has it that it was made in the fields by the rice workers over an open fire for their midday meal. And take note: the more cheese and butter, the better—it’s meant to be rich!
