Saffran Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms

• Soften 1-2 cipollini in olive oil.
• At the same time, bring about 2 L of vegetable broth to a boil.
• When the broth is boiling and the onion is soft, add 320g riso to the oil/onion and toast the rice.
• Add half the broth to the riso, stirring well.
• Continue to refresh the liquid level as needed (final risotto should be saucy).
• While the risotto cooks, sauté the mushrooms in olive oil until well browned.
• In the last minutes of risotto cooking, add 200 g of saffron powder dissolved in about ¼ cup white wine to the risotto.
• Mix 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese into the risotto.
• Stir in a thread of new-harvest olive oil, to taste.
• Serve in pre-heated shallow bowls with a garnish of the sautéed mushrooms and a small sprinkling of crumbled parmesan cheese.  Offer new-harvest olive oil at the table as a condiment (the “golden thread”).

Wild Boar in Wine Sauce

• Cut the wild boar into stew-size pieces.
• In a large pot, soften cipollini in olive oil.
• Once softened, add deveined celery sliced thinly and fresh rosemary branches.  Quench with a cup of red wine.
• Add sliced carrots and cook over low heat enough to bring the flavor out of the carrots.
• Add the boar and fill to cover the boar with red wine.
• Marinate 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Place the pot back on the heat and bring to a boil for about an hour.
• Cool and store another 24 hours in the refrigerator.
• Place the pot back on the heat and bring to a boil until the boar is tender (another hour worked for Mongiovino frozen boar).
• Near the end of the cooking, remove the boar pieces and clear out a selections of boar, carrots and onions to return to half of the wine marinade which has been passed through a sieve.
• Take the other half of the wine marinade plus some residues of the sieve which have been mashed to a fine size and reduce, adding flour to thicken.
• Just before serving, place the boar on a heated platter in the oven.
• Add the remaining wine sauce and thicken further if necessary.

Michaela’s Umbrian Lemon Rum Cheesecake

• Mix all ingredients.
• Adjust consistency with a small amount of cold water or extra flour if necessary.
• Allow the mixture to rest in the refrigerator for half an hour.

• Prepare the cream:  In a small pan, mix the two egg yolks with the sugar and milk.  Place on low heat and add the flour through a sieve, stirring well.  Stir continuously and gently until the cream thickens.  Remove from heat to cool.
• Prepare the cheese mixture:  Mix the ricotta, the rum and the powdered sugar.
• When the cream is cool, add the cheese mixture to the cream and blend well.

• Roll half the crust into a sheet and line the bottom of a casserole or cake pan, forming the edges into a roll of crust to contain the filling.
• Pour the filling to about 1,5 cm (1/2 inch) depth.
• Finish with a decorative lattice of crust with large windows of filling visible.