LEMON RISOTTO (RISOTTO AL LIMONE) – Recipe by Piero Benigni – A tasty and delicate risotto, simple to prepare in about 40 minutes.
Ingredients for 4 persons
- 340 gcarnaroli rice (12 oz)
- 1shallot
- 2 spoonsolive oil
- 1 glassdry white wine
- 1lemon (organic, medium size)
- 40 gbutter (1 1/2 oz)
- 40 gcheese (grated parmesan)
- 1500 mlvegetable broth (1 1/2 qt)
Tools for Lemon risotto
- Cooker
- 2 Pots
- Chopping Board
- Knife
- Wooden Spoon
- Grater
- Scale
- Juicer
- 1 Cover For the risotto pot
- Ladle
Preparation
Getting ready
Wash and dry the lemon, then grate half of the zest. Cut the remaining half into very thin strips avoiding the bitter white part below. Again cut them into very fine long strips as shown in the picture. Squeeze 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Weight butter, grate and weight Parmesan. Weight rice. Prepare one and a half litre of perfectly salted vegetable broth. Finely chop shallot or a heaping tablespoon of onion.
Put the risotto pan over a very mild flame, pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add the chopped shallot (or onion) and gently brown it for about 10 minutes until transparent. Stir frequently and pay attention: the shallot burns easily. Put the broth on the cooker and have it boiling when needed. Put all ingredients at hand.
When shallot is transparent add rice, increase the flame and start toasting: stir continuously for 3 minutes until it becomes translucent and sticks to the bottom, then add the glass of wine. Stir frequently and let the wine be absorbed.
Cooking the Lemon risotto
When there is no more wine left, add a ladle of boiling broth. Adjust flame to a gentle simmering, stir frequently and let this broth be absorbed. When this broth is near fully absorbed, pour one more ladle. After 10 minutes add the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Carry on so, stirring and adding boiling broth, one ladle at a time, until the rice is al dente. This means that it still has a little core that can be felt by chewing some grains with the incisors. In the photo: the gently boiling broth, the cooking risotto and everything ready at hand.
When the rice is still really al dente and with a very little broth left as shown in the photo, turn off the flame and add parmesan, butter and half of the grated zest. Do not overcook the rice, remember that cooking will slowly continue even with no flame. Stir for melting, cover with the lid and wait 3 minutes. Remove the lid, stir and check that the risotto is slightly wet and soft with a creamy consistency. If needed, add 1 or 2 spoons of broth and stir. Serve quickly and put on every dish a topping of a little parmesan, a pinch of the grated zest and some strips of the same. Some black pepper also, if you like. This risotto parmigiana must be enjoyed when ready. I suggest not to keep it in the fridge or freeze it.
The final addition of butter, cheese and grated zest