Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Lemon Risotto with Tequilla Lime Shrimp




I have never made risotto before, but it has always been on the list of things to try at some point. For some reason that urge hit me over the first weekend of summer heat. Note to self... save risotto for cool crisp evenings when you will be thrilled to have to stand over a hot stove for 30 minutes!

But this recipe for lemon-parsely risotto was such a summery sounding dish, so it was made on a summery evening.

From Real Simple, May 2006

3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup grated Parmesean
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 cup flat leaf parsely, chopped

Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oinon and cook for 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Reduce heat, add the wine and cook, stirring frequently until the liquid is absorbed. Add the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and wiating until it is absorbed before adding more. This should take about 30 minutes total. The rice should be tender but still slightly firm. Remove from heat. Add the lemon jucie, salt, pepper, Parm and the remaining butter and stir until the butter melts. Spoon into individual bowls and top with the lemon zest and parsely.

I found the lemon zest and parsely to be key ingredients, and actually enjoy the left-overs more, as they had more zest than the original servings I doled-out.

Even though mine absorbed the stock in the 30 minutes, I felt that the rice needed more cooking time. It was a very dense dish (that is a lot of cheese) but I really liked it and will make it again. I am excited to try other risottos, as the flavor pairings are virtually endless, and what main course would not go with a think and creamy rice?

But this does requires all of your attention, so you will need a sous-chef to prepare the rest of your meal. Fortunatelty, I had Tim to peal, marinate, skewer and grill some shrimp to serve with our summery risotto.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Amy,

Well done for a first try! Risotto is something that requires practice but you've done a fantastic job. It looks delicious!