Ingredients
Method
Get Everything Ready
- Zest both lemons with a microplane and set the zest aside. Juice one lemon and set the juice aside too, you'll need about 3 tbsp.
- Pour the stock into a 20 cm / 8-inch saucepan and bring it to a bare simmer over medium heat, about 95 C / 200 F. Keep it at that gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, for the whole cooking time.
Cook the Risotto
- Heat the olive oil and 30 g of the butter in a 28 cm / 11-inch heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until soft and translucent but not browned.
- Add the rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes, until the edges of the grains turn translucent and the centers stay opaque white. This tostatura step is what helps the rice hold its shape later.
- Pour in the wine and stir until it's fully absorbed, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the warm stock one ladle at a time, stirring often, waiting until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding the next. This takes 18 to 20 minutes total.
- Start tasting the rice around the 16-minute mark. It's done when the grains are tender with a slight bite left in the center, not chalky and not mushy.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the remaining 40 g butter, the parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice, beating fairly hard for 30 seconds until the risotto turns glossy and pools into a slow wave when you tilt the pot. This is the mantecatura.
- Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cover and let it rest for 1 to 2 minutes off the heat, then spoon it onto warm plates immediately.
Notes
- Keep stock at a bare simmer the whole time.
- Taste rice at 16 minutes, it should have a slight bite.
- Add lemon juice off heat so it stays bright, not muted.
- Use a wide, heavy-bottomed pot so rice cooks in a thin layer.
