Radicchio and Gorgonzola risotto

Wash all the vegetables for the stock, peel the onion and carrot. Put a pig pot over medium heat and add all the ingredients for the vegetable stock with 6 cups of cold water and simmer over low heat for 2 hours uncovered. Drain and reserve the stock, put in a pot over very low heat and keep warm to use for the risotto. The stock has to be always simmering through out the process. Add no salt at all to the stock.

Wash the radicchio leaves, pile them one on top of the other and cut in thin strips. Set aside.

In a pan, add the Olive Oli and the chopped onion and cook until traslucent. Add the radicchio and stir well and cook for about 5 minutes, until well covered with olive oil and slightly wilted.

Add the Carnaroli rice, stir to coat completely in olive oil and slightly fry the rice. Add the white wine, mix well and let the alcohol evaporate.

Add a laddle of stock enough to just cover the rice, stir, add some salt and let simmer over low heat. Stir once or twice while cooking. When the stock has almost all been absorbed, add stock again. Every time you add stock, add less and less because you don't want to finish with a watery risotto. Stir once or twice while cooking. Add more stock after the previous is absorbed and start testing for doneness after 15 minutes. You will normally need 17 minutes to have the rice al dente but not too much.

After 17 minutes, check for salt and if the rice is done. If the risotto is too dry add a tiny bit of stock if needed (it needs to have a little stock inside and not be dry). Take the pan from the heat, add the butter in small pieces, the parmesan and the Gorgonzola, stir vigorously for 1 or 2 minutes. It should result in a very creamy risotto.

Serve immediately, add a small leaf of radicchio on top for decoration. You can add some grated parmesan and some freshly ground pepper if you like.