Valentino Valtulina

Chef and owner, Ristorante Da Valentino

Tucked away on Turf Club Road, chef Valentino Valtulina’s Ristorante Da Valentino has always been a family-managed dining destination for gourmands hungering for home-style, hearty Italian food. For the freshest picks, ask the waiter for the day’s seasonal dishes, which are often not listed on the menu.

“Risotto in my hometown of Meda, near Milan, is done using cannaroli rice. We saute brown onions with olive oil, add the rice and toss till fragrant. After that, add white wine and let it boil till it is incorporated into the rice. Pour the broth little by little for about 18 minutes. When the rice arrives at the cooking point, mantecare with Parmesan cheese

“With risotto the stock is the essence so we start off with either a chicken, beef or fish stock depending on the

type of risotto we are preparing.”

and butter. Serve hot. At the restaurant, risotto is cooked this way and guests can choose their toppings, such as porcini mushrooms or seafood.

The biggest challenge in cooking risotto is getting the timing right.” www. ristorante-da-valentino.com