I typically serve risotto as a main dish. It is a pretty labor intensive process, and it is hearty enough to stand on its own. This lemon risotto, however, is an exception to that. It pairs beautifully with seafood, which is easy enough to be made at the same time. If I can find them, I like to make this with Meyer lemons. They have a slightly less acidic taste than regular lemons, and this dish highlights them well. When I made this batch of risotto, I paired it with some shrimp that I quickly sautéed in a little butter and Old Bay seasoning. I also added a little bit of minced, fresh parsley to give it a little color.
Lemon Risotto
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- zest from 2 lemons
- juice from 1 lemon
- 6-8 cups of chicken stock
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
Directions:
- Heat chicken stock in a medium pot until simmering, turn down heat to keep at a simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, but not browned.
- Add arborio and stir to coat with oil.
- Continue cooking until the rice has translucent edges.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then add the white wine. Stir until the wine is absorbed.
- Add chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring frequently until combined. After the addition of 3 cups of stock, add the lemon zest from 1 lemon.
- Repeat with remaining chicken stock or until the rice is cooked al-dente, 30-40 minutes total.
- Remove from heat, add lemon juice and cheese. Stir to combine. Taste for seasonings.
- Add in remaining lemon zest and parsley immediately before serving.
I want it now!