Risotto with sour butter, chicken jus and bay leaf powder

Chicken jus gives depth and savoriness, sour butter adds freshness and tension, and bay leaf powder closes the dish with an aromatic and balsamic touch.

Bertani Amarone Classico accompanies this risotto by affinity of structure and aromatic depth, enhancing its creaminess, the umami component of the jus and the balsamic note of the bay leaf, without ever weighing down the whole.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

Bay leaf powder

• 100 g bay leaf, chopped

Chicken jus

• 600 g chicken wings, chopped
• 2 onions
• 1 clove of garlic
• 100 g butter
• Extra virgin olive oil q.b.
• 1 bay leaf

Sour butter

• 2 shallots
• 100 g white wine
• 60 g vinegar
• 150 g soft butter

Risotto

• 360 g rice
• 200 cl vegetable broth
• 150 g Parmesan cheese
• Salt to taste.

Procedure:

Laurel powder:
Dry the bay leaf in an oven at 70 °C for about 5 hours. Once dry and crisp, blend them to a fine powder.

Chicken jus:
In a saucepan, heat a little oil and brown the chicken wings until golden brown.
Add the diced onion and butter, letting it brown gently until the butter turns nutty and a brown patina forms on the bottom.
Remove excess fat, then douse with 4 liters of ice water.
Add the garlic clove and bay leaf and simmer gently until reduced to about 500 ml.
Strain through a fine sieve and continue the reduction until a syrupy consistency is achieved.

Sour butter:
Reduce wine, vinegar, and shallots over low heat until a few tablespoons of liquid are obtained.
Strain the reduction and emulsify it with the soft butter, whipping with a whisk until creamy.

Risotto:
Dry toast the rice in a casserole dish.
When hot, start cooking by gradually wetting with vegetable broth and stirring until it is cooked al dente.
Stir in the sour butter and Parmesan cheese, adjusting for salt.

Plating:

Arrange a layer of chicken jus on the bottom of the dish.
Lay the creamy risotto on top and finish with a light sprinkling of bay leaf powder.

In the chalice:

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2016 Bertani

Deep red with garnet hues. Enveloping nose with aromas of ripe red fruits, dark spices, licorice, earthy notes and sweet tobacco. Full and elegant on the sip, with well-integrated acidity, soft and velvety tannins, long and persistent finish. A wine of great longevity.

Production area: Vineyards located in the Valpolicella Classica (Verona, Veneto), a historic area of the appellation. The reference estate is. Novare, one of Bertani’s most representative crus.

Grape varieties: 80% Corvina Veronese, 20% Rondinella.

Harvest: the grapes are harvested manually, in crates and carefully selected to ensure optimal ripening. They subsequently undergo a withering period in fruit lofts., where they lose some of their water and acquire aromatic concentration.

Production processes: Traditional withering of the grapes in fruit lofts for several weeks (according to the Bertani method) until the right sugar and aromatic concentration is obtained. Long fermentation controlled in temperature-controlled tanks, with prolonged maceration on the skins to extract color, structure and complexity. Prolonged maturation in wood (mainly large Slavonian oak barrels) for 6-7 years about. Further bottle aging before marketing to harmonize all components.

Alcohol content: about 15-15.5% vol.

Serving temperature: 16-18°C. Serve in wide red wine glasses, opening the bottle early to enhance aromas and structure.

Recommended pairings: Perfect with dishes of great structure and flavor, such as braised and stewed red meat, game, important roasts, aged cheeses, and stewed meats.