risotto alla milanese with caramelized pancetta and fennel salad

 

In my recent ultimate chocolate cupcake post (mmmm), I mentioned reserving the menu of my dinner party with friends for a post of its very own... and here it is! I have been waiting to make this Giada salad for quite some time, and it turned out to be a definite keeper. I mean, it has caramelized pancetta (or in this too-lazy-to-go-to-Whole Foods case, bacon); what more do you need to hear? Because the salad and the cupcakes were so rich and complex, I decided to make a simple Risotto alla Milanese (believed to be the original risotto from which all others are derived) to balance it all out. Both recipes were incredibly easy, despite looking pretty fancy. While risotto doesn't offer much to look at, trust me, it was creamy and delicious.