Lemon and Dill Risotto
There is nothing better than a bowl of creamy, cheesy risotto.. well, maybe a bowl of creamy, cheesy risotto topped with dill shrimp scampi. It was a delicious combination of flavors. The shrimp had garlic, dill and lemon juice… so, I decided to mimic the flavors in the risotto as well. I love making risotto.. it is like having a blank canvas.. I can do whatever I want with it.
I started with garlic and shallots. I added the rice, some white wine and broth. Once the rice was almost cooked, I added half and half, cheese, lemon zest and of course the main ingredient of the evening- dill. The green specks looked amazing against the snowy white rice. It tasted even better, especially with a huge helping of the shrimp scampi…
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth, heated up
- ½ cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 medium shallots, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- Zest of one lemon
- ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
- ½ cup half and half
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt
Heat a wide frying pan with the olive oil. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the white wine and cook on medium heat while stirring. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low and stir constantly. The risotto should take about 20 minutes to cook- keep stirring until the broth evaporates. Add more liquid if necessary. Once the grains are soft, add the half and half, Parmesan cheese, dill, lemon zest and salt. Check for seasonings and serve with shrimp scampi.
