Recipe

Lemon Herb Risotto

by juliefsu on March 4, 2010 in Rice, Sides

4.50 Mitt(s) 2 Rating(s)

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Recipe Description

A perfect recipe for the spring or summer, with the lightness of lemon and fresh herbs. Unlike some recipes, this one does not call for cream; trust me that the rice will get plenty creamy on its own! I use fresh basil and parsley; feel free to susbtitute other herbs as you wish—chives might be nice, too. Can be served as a side with a chicken or seafood dish, or can be a delicious light main course with a salad.

Preparation Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, bring broth to a simmer over medium heat.

2. Meanwhile, in a large, straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium, then add onion and saute until translucent, about 2-3 minutes.

3. Increase heat to medium-high. Add rice and cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, about 1 minute.

4. Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 2 minutes.

5. Add 1 cup broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until broth is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Repeat process, gradually adding broth, until rice is al dente and risotto is creamy (you may not need all the broth), about 35 minutes.

6. Stir in zest and herbs after the final addition of broth.

7. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes. Season risotto with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve with extra Parmesan.

Ingredients

6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
1 whole Small Yellow Onion, Finely Diced
1-¼ cup Arborio Rice
½ cups Dry White Wine (such As Pinot Grigio)
½ cups Grated Parmesan, Plus More For Serving
1 whole Lemon, Zest And Juice
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Italian Parsley
1 teaspoon Coarse Salt, Or To Taste
¼ teaspoons Fresh Ground Black Pepper, Or To Taste

6 Comments | Be the first to comment!

Comments

Sex, Food, and Rock & Roll on 3.17.2010

I made this tonight as a side for shrimp tacos, and it was delicious! Very light and refreshing for a risotto. Thank you!

Katie on 4.11.2010

I made this tonight, and it was fantastic! I spaced out and thought it was 6 oz instead of 6 cups of chicken broth, so ended up using some vegetable broth I had in the cupboard, and it is still fantastic. I might throw in some mushrooms next time.

I will absolutely make this again.

juliefsu on 4.13.2010

Katie–I have a similar recipe that I make with mushrooms. My tips for that are to cut the lemon juice and zest (I think the citrus flavor competes too much with the earthy flavor of the mushrooms) and saute the mushrooms separately in olive oil–add them to the risotto at the end. YUM! So glad you enjoyed!

Katie on 5.10.2010

I just logged in so I could make this again tonight, and saw your comment. Will absolutely try the mushrooms! thanks!

theredbook on 6.14.2010

I appreciate the fact that there is no cream in this (lactose intolerant!) and it sounds perfect for these hot months… Will try this summer!

sarcasticquilter on 7.20.2010

Yum! This dish can best be described as “bright” so choose the main accordingly. I made it with Bellimento’s Rum Chicken.

Warning: be sure not to add too much basil or lemon. My son and I made this the first time and he accidentally threw in all of what I chopped instead of the portion I set aside and directed so those flavors were too much in those quantities. – Duh, right? lol

However, when done right, YUM!

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