Aurora Leveroni is a 90-plus-year-old home chef who became known as Nonna Marijuana after she began to support her daughter’s use of marijuana to control debilitating seizures. Her YouTube series on cooking with cannabis—and her appearances on Bong Appetit—made her a household name—in certain households, that is.
So, who better to teach us the intricacies of a classic risotto Milanese than the Nonna herself? This recipe is sans marijuana, perhaps because if there was ever a food that provides plenty of pleasure on its own, it’s risotto—capiche?
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In case you haven’t noticed, this nonna is not a traditionalist—hence her preference for long-grain over the traditional Arborio rice. She also provides options should you not want to indulge in pricey saffron, a typical component in risotto Milanese. All we can say is trust the Nonna, because 100 percent of the goodness of a creamy mushroom risotto is in the technique.
No need to feel guilty, either—your grandma would approve of this stuff. Unless you inside to include some reefer… which ain’t a bad idea, either.
