Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and you need to practice your romantic dinner making to really impress your partner! Here’s a good suggestion; Romance-Me Risotto! Creamy, flavorful, rich, and loaded with so much goodness! Bright lemon and nutty, sharp parmesan with bursts of garden-fresh peas mingle with the poultry flavor of the broth soaked into the tender rice! Nothing says “Happy Valentine’s Day” like Romance-Me Risotto!
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock or broth
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 shallot or small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced, zest divided
- 1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, grated, plus more, to taste, for garnish
- 1/2 cup frozen sweet peas
- kosher salt, to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- fresh parsley leaves, to taste, for garnish
Directions
Step 1 –In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the chicken stock and heat it until steaming.
Step 2 –Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.
Step 3 –In a large, high-sided skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the butter, the olive oil, and the shallot and cook, while stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 6-8 minutes.
Step 4 –Add the garlic and cook, while stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Step 5 –Add the rice and 1/2 of the lemon zest to the onion mixture and cook, while stirring, until the rice is translucent at the ends, about 2 minutes.
Step 6 –Add the hot stock to the rice mixture, 1/2 cup at a time while stirring continuously, until the stock is almost completely absorbed, the rice is creamy and translucent, and it is no longer crunchy, about 25-30 minutes.
Step 7 –Add 1/2 cup of the parmesan, the remaining butter, the lemon juice, and the peas to the rice mixture and stir to combine.
Step 8 –Cook until the peas are warmed through, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 9 –Season the risotto with the salt and the black pepper.
Step 10 –Serve immediately garnished with the remaining lemon zest, the extra parmesan, and the parsley.
