Lemon risotto

A dish of lemon risotto with a heap of steamed asparagus is one of my favourite spring/summer meals. It also makes a great starter – in which case this recipe will feed four.

Lemon risotto
(serves 2)

• 50g butter
• 1 Tb olive oil
• 750ml hot vegetable stock
• 1 small onion, minced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
• 220g risotto rice
• zest of a lemon
• juice of half a lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
• 50ml double cream
• salt and pepper

1. Melt half the butter and the olive oil together in a heavy saucepan over a medium-low flame. Add the onion, celery and rosemary and stir until softened, about five minutes.
2. Heat the vegetable stock in a small saucepan over a low heat, and keep it at a gentle simmer.
3. Add the rice, stirring to coat, then add a ladleful of stock. Cook, stirring, until the stock is absorbed.
4. Continue adding stock a ladleful at a time, until the rice is no longer chalky when you bite into it. Remove from the heat.
5. Whisk together the lemon zest, juice, egg yolk, parmesan and cream. Stir this mixture through the hot rice. Stir in the remaining butter, and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with additional grated parmesan.

Tags: cream, Italian food, lemons, rice, vegetarian