LEMON HERB RISOTTO

by | Oct 24, 2020 | Cooking, Sides | 0 comments

This is a great dish, but one that requires a little prep before getting started.  Because you are tending to the ingredients for the 30 minutes you’re cooking, it just makes things move along a little easier if you’ve got everything prepared ahead of time.  We made this dish in late September, on a cold night.  I was already missing warm summer nights and this lemony dish kind of evoked a bit of summer.  So many foods go well with risotto.  We had ours with smoked beer brats and steamed green beans from our garden ~ tossed in butter and garlic.  Sooo good. It was a rich combination for sure. On another night, we would have had risotto by itself with sautéed kale and chard or a salad. Risotto is a rich and creamy delicious dish that can totally serve as your entree. Here’s a version you may want to try.  Like I said, get everything prepped ahead of time so you can focus on the risotto.  It requires your attention.

Ingredients

  • 3 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 C white onion, finely chopped
  • 2 good sized shallots, minced
  • 3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 2 C arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice about 3 lemons (we had Meyer lemons from my niece so you may need more depending on lemons)
  • 1 T lemon zest, plus more for garnish
  • 5 cups organic chicken bone broth or stock
  • 1-1/2 C water
  • 1 C pecorino or parmesan or asiago, finely shredded
  • 1/4 C marscapone cheese
  • 1/4 C organic Italian parsley
  • 2 T fresh organic chives, chopped
  • 2 T fresh organic thyme, stemmed and chopped (or dry) plus more for garnish
  • salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Heat the chicken broth (or stock) and water in a saucepan on the stove to hot, but not boiling state.  You don’t want to boil away your liquid.
Warm olive oil on medium heat in a heavy bottomed stock pot and add in onion and shallots.  Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring often.  Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add in rice and stir to coat with oil and aromatics.  Stirring constantly for about 3 minutes.  Add in the wine and continue stirring until rice has completely absorbed wine. Add in the lemon juice, and let absorb.  Once absorbed add in 1/2 cup of hot chicken broth. Stir until each addition of stock has been absorbed into the rice, and the sauce is thick, before you add another. The risotto should be at a constant low simmer.  Once liquid is absorbed, add in another 1/2 cup of hot broth and keep stirring. Continue this process.  Taste the rice after about 20 minutes of cooking. When the rice is tender, you can stop adding chicken broth.  Reserve any broth and water for other cooking.
Once the risotto is soft, turn off the heat and add the shredded pecorino (or parmesan, mascarpone, chives and thyme.  Mix well.  Add sea salt and pepper to your taste.  Serve each bowl garnished with lemon zest, chopped chives, thyme sprigs and more cracked black pepper

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