Lemon Basil Risotto Recipe

A good bowl of risotto is the ultimate comfort food, thanks to the tender yet hearty arborio rice cooked in wine and broth till warm and creamy. It can be customized in endless ways, and one of the brightest and most satisfying versions is Food Republic recipe developer Julianne De Witt's lemon and basil rendition. "It may seem like an intimidating recipe at first, but it's really very easy, and if you follow the tips below, it's foolproof," she assures readers. Lemon and basil pair together delightfully, infusing this rich meal with zesty and herbaceous flavors that make it oh-so-easy to devour.

Risotto is a versatile dish, which can serve as a side, an appetizer, or the main attraction. De Witt recommends, "Serve this risotto on its own with some crusty bread, with a bright green salad with Dijon vinaigrette, or as a side to grilled chicken." To reheat it from cold, De Witt instructs: "Warm the risotto in a pot over medium heat and add a little warm chicken stock to loosen it up." It keeps in the fridge for up to five days, and leftovers can be transformed into arancini, tender and flavorful balls of rice stuffed with cheese and served with the sauce of your choice.

For this recipe, get chicken stock, olive oil, a medium onion (diced), garlic cloves (minced), arborio rice, dry white wine, lemon (juice, zest, and slices), fresh basil leaves (chiffonade cut), finely grated Parmesan, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper.

De Witt explains, "Arborio rice is a short-grain, high starch rice and is used primarily for making risotto." This isn't a great place to use a substitution, though she notes, "sushi rice can be used in a pinch." As for the stock, De Witt says, "I like to use chicken stock in this recipe but substitute vegetable stock to make this dish vegetarian." Finally, for the perfect cheesy consistency, she adds, "I also like to use a microplane to grate the Parmesan into a fluffy texture that easily melts into the risotto."

Heat the chicken stock in a small pot and keep warm.

Add the olive oil to a large pot over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until softened.

Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the rice and stir to coat.

Add the wine. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, or until the wine cooks down.

Add the broth 1 ladle cup at a time and stir often until absorbed. Continue until all the broth has been added.

When the remaining broth has been absorbed and the rice is al dente, remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the lemon juice, zest, basil, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

Divide the risotto between 4 bowls and top with additional Parmesan, lemon slice, and basil, if desired.

If you've never made risotto (or if you've made it with medium results), it can seem like a difficult dish to pull off. Thankfully, with a few simple tips, you can achieve successful results. De Witt outlines a few steps that affect the outcome, starting with the rice itself. As she explains, "Toasting the rice first creates a thin layer that protects the rice. This will ensure the broth is absorbed slowly and evenly to provide a consistent texture to the rice and to prevent the rice from breaking." In turn, it will cook uniformly and lead to a tender and slightly chewy bite.

Warm the stock before adding it to the pot. "Adding warm stock will release more starch from the rice," De Witt notes, which means a creamier texture. Don't add all the stock at once, instead alternate between pouring, stirring, and letting the rice be. "The goal is to move the rice around to create the creamy starchiness that's achieved as the grains of rice are mixed. Stirring too little will cause the rice to burn on the bottom and stirring too much can cause it to become too soft," De Witt describes.

Most importantly, do not overcook the rice. "The rice should be al dente and not mushy," according to De Witt. Taste it as you go to avoid disappointment. Finally, she recommends adding the last ingredients just before turning off the heat to preserve the flavors.

This recipe requires that the basil leaves be sliced using the chiffonade method, which De Witt describes as "a cutting technique for leafy vegetables and herbs." The word chiffonade translates as "little ribbons," and this is an easy and efficient way to transform greens into thin slices. It's more straightforward than the fancy name would have you believe. "Stack the basil leaves on top of each other. Roll tightly into a cigar-like shape, and slice thinly, crosswise into ribbons," she says. The method can be used for any flat-leafed green, from herbs like basil and sage to spinach or chard. The resulting strands of leafy greens and herbs add flavor to salads, serve as a pretty garnish for pasta, pizza, or roasted meat or vegetables, and add a depth of flavor to dishes like this risotto.

This simple French cooking trick is one that every home chef should know, as it treats the tender greens in a way that enhances flavor and presentation. If you use a sharp enough knife, the chiffonade cut prevents the delicate leaves from getting crushed or overly bruised as you cut them, while maintaining a generous surface area to infuse flavor into the risotto. This allows the oils in the herbs to be released, ensuring the herbal aroma is distributed in every bite.