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LEMON RISOTTO

LEMON RISOTTO

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Serves: 2

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  • Gluten Free
  • Nigella Recipe
  • Vegetarian

This is comfort food on so many levels. For one, risotto has to be one of the most comforting things to eat ever. What's more, although everyone goes on about the finicketiness and crucial fine-tuning involved, I find risotto immensely comforting to make: in times of strain, mindless repetitive activity - in this case, 20 minutes of stirring - can really help. What you don't want to do is make risotto for large numbers of people, which is why I've indicated that this serves two.

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Ingredients

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  • 2 shallots
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 60 grams unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 300 grams risotto rice (preferably vialone nano)
  • 1 litre vegetable stock (e.g., Marigold stock/bouillon powder)
  • zest and juice of ½ unwaxed lemon
  • needles from 2 small sprigs of fresh rosemary (finely chopped)
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (plus more to sprinkle)
  • 60 ml double cream
  • Maldon salt (to taste)
  • pepper (preferably white)
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Method

  1. Put the shallots and celery into a Magimix and blitz until they are a finely chopped mush.
  2. Heat half the butter, the oil and the shallot and celery mixture in a wide saucepan, and cook to soften the mixture for about 5 minutes, making sure it doesn't catch. Mix in the rice, stirring to give it a good coating of oil and butter. Meanwhile, heat the stock in another saucepan and keep it at simmering point.
  3. Pour a ladleful of the stock into the rice and keep stirring until the stock is absorbed. Then add another ladleful and stir again. Continue doing this until the rice is al dente. You may not need all of the stock, equally, you may need to add hot water from the kettle.
  4. Mix the lemon zest and the rosemary into the risotto, and in a small bowl beat the egg yolk, lemon juice, parmesan, cream and pepper.
  5. When the risotto is ready - when the rice is no longer chalky, but still has some bite - take it off the heat and add the bowl of eggy, lemony mixture, and the remaining butter and salt to taste. Serve with more grated parmesan if you wish, check the seasoning and dive in.

Additional information - for vegetarians replace the Parmesan with a vegetarian alternative. For gluten free check the stock or bouillon powder is gluten free.

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  • It´s one of my favourite recipes and the best risotto ever! Thank you

    Posted by Pisella on 24th Aug 2011 at 13.39

  • Ciao, I used Amalfi Coast IGP lemons, MERAVIGLIOSO!!!

    Posted by robyrinaldi on 9th Sep 2012 at 10.49

  • Pleasant risotto and good instructions. You have to massage the rice gently. Very delicate flavours.

    Posted by FlossyScot on 10th Sep 2012 at 19.53