This classic Northern Italian dish is lovely and golden – made even richer by replacing some of the butter which is traditionally added right at the end of cooking with some beef marrow (scooped out of the bone and stirred in directly).  Or you can just stick to the butter if you can’t get a hold of the bones are a little squeamish about it.

The quantities below serves 2 as a starter course.

In a thick-bottomed pan, fry 1 shallot and1 garlic clove, finely chopped, with a knob of butter, on a medium-low heat till well-softened, but not brown (about 5 minutes). Raise the temperature to medium, stir in ½ cup (100g) risotto rice (my current favourite is the age, organic Aquerello carnaroli variety, but either arborio or regular carnaroli will do). Add ½ cup (125ml) white wine, and a few crumpled threads of saffron and reduce down.

Now start adding some hot chicken stock (350ml in total), one ladleful at a time, waiting each time for the liquid to be absorbed. When the risotto rice has lost most of its bite, but is not completely cooked through stir in either a 1-2 tbsp chopped beef marrow or a knob of butter. Take off the heat, add a final small ladleful of the stock to loosen the rice, and some grated parmesan. Adjust the seasoning with some sea salt and freshly ground pepper and cover. Wait a couple of minutes (but not longer!) before serving with a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

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