Fresh herb risotto with lemon

If I had to pick one rice meal to eat for many days in a row, I'd definitely choose a risotto. Besides being one of the so-called 'comfort meals', risottos are also great because they give us, creative and hungry amateur cooks, the chance to combine many different ingredients and to achieve peculiar, yet delicious, results.

Nothing better than a calm Saturday night at home with my babe to try a new combination of flavors. Fresh herbs and lemon, with some dry white wine, fresh Parmesan and a hint of butter have turned out into a very yummy meal. And made my very hungry boyfriend into a very happy one. Mission accomplished! 

6 portions
Original recipe on Food.com. Mine has gone through a few adaptations and I dare you to make your own.

7 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
4 minced garlic cloves
2 cups of finely chopped fresh herbs (For this recipe, chives, parsley, thyme and basil. You can also use fresh rosemary, dill, chervil or tarragon, depending on what kind of flavors  you want).
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 cup of finely chopped shallots
Smoked sea salt, to taste
2 cups of arborio rice
1 cup of dry white wine
fresh ground pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons of butter

My new favorite

Put the broth into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer on the stove. Set aside on a bowl the herbs and one of the minced garlic cloves. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy pan, add the shallots and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook gently until it is just tender. Stir in the rice and the remaining three cloves of garlic until the grains of rice become separate and begin to crackle. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed.

Begin adding the simmering stock, about 1/2 cup at a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Every time you see your risotto is starting to dry out, grab a spoon, taste the grains and, if still too hard, add some more broth. When the rice becomes al dente (tender but still chewy, about 25 minutes after you started cooking), correct the seasoning. Add another ladleful of stock to the rice, stir the herbs, pepper, lemon zest and juice. If you desire a creamier version, instead of adding a full ladle of broth, add only half part and add about 3 tablespoons of single cream, followed by the Parmesan. Remove from the heat and check the creaminess. Your risotto should turn creamy. Serve right away. The mixture should be creamy. If you put some on a plate and tilt the plate the mound of rice should flatten out. Serve right away together with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

Bom apetite!

If you wish to prepare the dish in advance, begin several hours before serving. Proceed with the recipe, and cook halfway for about 15 minutes. Remove rice from the heat when it is still hard, without any liquid in the pan. Spread it in a thin layer, either in the pan or a tray. Resume cooking fifteen minutes before serving.