Mostly when you consider real Italian risotto you think of the Padana; the rice growing region of the Po river valley, Emilia-Romagna and the Veneto. This recipe however, is true to Rome (my Rome), but for some reason at the same time, it reminds me of the “dirty rice” of New Orleans. Not dissimilar. Much of the inspiration comes from the “cucina ebraica” of Rome. That would be from the Jews who had to flee the Spanish Inquisition in Sicily and landed on both sides of the Tiber. They used all of the parts of the chicken including the “rigaglie”, the giblets, and everything else you can think of. This would be straight out Roman Jewish food except that I’ve added pork and unkoshered it. Sorry rabbi, but I do still respect that history, really. Okay, not kosher but you can make it so very easily if you prefer with the omission of the guanciale. Hint: you don’t need to go overboard on mire poix, let the guts sing for they own selves as they would in New Orleans.

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