Anyone who's ever made risotto can tell you: it is endearingly complex to make. You begin with Italian Arborio and end with rice that is tantalizingly creamy, yet the grains remain separate and firm.

Because we're never afraid of a little challenge, we decided to put our own spin on the rice dish. We cooked our risotto in the traditional way--with onion, garlic, and butter--then added lush red wine and thyme and topped it with Parmesan cheese. The risotto is thick and creamy, with the sharp flavors of cheese and savory beef. The fruity flavors of the red wine are detectable at the very end.

Serve the risotto with our
braised short ribs and our
grilled asparagus for a complete meal. We're sure that you'll love our risotto so much for Valentine's Day, you'll be coming back the rest of the month to have it for dinner!