Milan's food takes inspiration from it's cool and confident fashion

Risotto Alla Milanese

SERVES 4

If you want to take your risotto alla Milanese to the next level, a little roasted bone marrow is the perfect extra indulgence. See my tip for details.

• 750ml low-salt chicken stock

• 500ml low-salt beef stock

• 2 large pinches saffron

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 small brown onion, finely minced

• 2 cups arborio rice

Food in Italy's fashion capital has the same casual confidence you find in its effortlessly cool style, says Adam Liaw.

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 cup dry white wine

• ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve

• 40g unsalted butter, cut into 2cm cubes

• 2 tbsp finely shredded parsley, to serve (optional)

• freshly ground black pepper, to serve (optional)

Heat the stocks and saffron together in a small saucepan and hold at a low simmer.

Heat the oil in a separate large saucepan over medium heat and add the onion, frying for a minute or two until the onion is translucent. Add the rice and salt and continue to cook for about a minute until the rice looks chalky and a little toasted, and is well-coated with the oil. Add the wine and stir the rice until the liquid is absorbed. Add a third of the heated stock and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stock is absorbed. Add a further third of the stock and repeat. Finally, add the remaining stock and cook, covered, for a further 4 minutes, still stirring occasionally. Taste a few grains of rice; they should be soft but still al dente and the risotto should be a consistency that spreads on a plate (i.e. not a thick paste).

Turn off the heat and add the parmesan and butter. With a wooden spoon, vigorously beat the parmesan and butter into the risotto until it is emulsified and creamy. Serve the risotto with a little extra parmesan and a sprinkling of parsley and black pepper, if you like.

Adam's tip: To add bone marrow to your risotto alla Milanese, just heat your oven to 240°C. Place marrow bones on a baking sheet, season with salt, and bake for about 20 minutes, until starting to char. Scoop the marrow from the bones and scatter it over the cooked risotto.

Milanese Apple Charlotte

Serves 8-10

Part bread pudding and part apple pie, this simple apple charlotte is perfect when you want a great baked dessert without the hassle of making pastry.

• 6-8 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored

and cut into

thin wedges

• 1 cup white wine

• ⅔ cup caster sugar

• ½ cup raisins

• grated rind of

1 lemon

• ½ cup mixed glacé fruits

• 100g butter, softened

• 16 slices white bread, crusts removed and

cut in half

• 50ml rum (optional)

• vanilla ice-cream, to serve

Place the apples, wine, sugar, raisins, lemon rind and ½ a cup of water into a large saucepan. Cook for 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a jammy consistency. Allow to cool to room temperature, then stir through the glacé fruits.

Heat your oven to 180°C. Liberally butter the slices of bread and place them, slightly overlapping, into the base and around the edges of a 20cm cake tin. Fill with the fruit mixture and cover with a layer of buttered bread. Cover the top layer of bread with baking paper. Wrap pie weights in a sheet of aluminum foil and place on top of the bread to hold it down. Bake for 70 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to stand for at least 20 minutes.

To serve, turn the warm charlotte out onto a serving plate. If using, heat the rum in a metal ladle and ignite it. Pour flaming rum over the charlotte at the table and serve with vanilla ice-cream.