Risotto con la Verza e il Parmigiano (Risotto with Savoy Cabbage and Parmesan)

 Mom asked me to randomly select recipes to make for mother's day, so I used a random number generator to choose 6 recipes (one for each of her kids). I liked three, which seems like a fairly high batting average. This is from Marcella Hazan's "Marcella's Italian Kitchen."

3 T chopped onion

1/2 c pancetta cut into very thin strips

1 T oil

4 T butter

1 lb cabbage, shredded very fine

salt

2 bouillon cubes dissolved in 5 c water of 1 c canned beef broth diluted with 4 c water

1 1/2 c arborio rice

1/2 c parmesan

black pepper (didn't use this time)

Put onion, pancetta, oil, and 3 T butter in a heavy-bottomed pot. Turn eat to medium high. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is light gold. Add shredded cabbage, a little salt, and turn with a wooden spoon a few times. Cover pot, and turn down the heat to medium. Cook, stirring from time to time, until the cabbage has become colored "a rich nut brown." (I foolishly didn't use the Savoy cabbage called for-- I think I used Napa-- and even after a really long time, I wouldn't call it a rich nut brown, but a sort of pale dead grass brown.) 

Bring the broth to a low simmer. Add the rice to the pot containing the cabbage, uncover, and raise heat to medium high. Stir the rice quickly and thoroughly with a wooden spoon, then add a ladleful of broth. Stir constantly, wiping away the rice from the bottom and side of the pot, until the broth has evaporated/absorbed. Add another ladleful, continue thus. When done, rice should be tender and toothsome and there should be enough broth that it is slightly runny. If you run out of broth before the rice is done, continue with water.

Add grated cheese and the remaining T of butter. Stir well and season. Serve immediately.