Week 9: Lemon & Parmesan Risotto

My weeks are way off, but I’m playing blog catchup! We had a stay-in date night to celebrate Valentine’s Day a month ago, and we (yes both of us!) cooked up dinner. We’ve usually kept V-Day low key, and this year was no different. Except we had lobster tails & risotto. That was for sure a step up from the steak we usually make!

I picked risotto because I wanted something that complemented the tender, soft & succulent lobster tail. And because I had never made it before. And because Valentine’s Day is the only day I think I could actually commit to stirring something for 30 minutes straight. Yes, 30 minutes. But oh so worth it! Here’s out it goes:

6 cups chicken stock

2 cups Arborio rice

1 cup white wine

1 lemon, juiced & 1 teaspoon of zest reserved

8 oz unsalted butter

4 oz freshly grated parmesan (the good stuff, please!)

1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

Salt & pepper

Heat chicken stock in a stock pot, and keep warm. Melt 6 oz butter in a medium sauté pan on medium heat. Stir in rice, & continue stirring for 3 minutes. Add in 1/2 cup of white wine and juice from lemon & continue stirring until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Add in remaining white wine & keep stirring until liquid is almost absorbed. Keeping with the same idea, add in 1/2 cup of heated chicken stock, cooking until liquid is almost absorbed. Keep stirring the entire time! Test the rice to make sure it’s cooked to your liking after about 20 minutes. I prefer mine firm with a little bit of give, but it’s up to you! Keep adding liquid/stirring until you’ve reached the texture you are looking for. 

Once the rice is cooked, stir in lemon zest, remaining butter, parmesan, parsley and salt & pepper. Enjoy immediately!

My apologies for the after picture. Turns out creamy rice doesn’t look all that great in via camera lens. Just believe that it’s underneath the lobster & asparagus, and it tasted as wonderful as lemon and butter and parmesan and love should. Dish up!