Golden Risotto (Lemon, Saffron and Carrot)

Risotto...blissful, delicious, stunning. The deep, rich golden color of this side dish is absolutely matched by its taste. Yes, it does take some time and attention to get a risotto right but it is not technically difficult-- if you can ladle and stir, you can make an awesome risotto.

Golden Risotto (Lemon, Saffron and Carrot)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon butter
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup finely grated carrot
1/4 cup chopped cooked artichoke heart
2 tablespoons minced sweet onion
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1/8 teaspoon crushed saffron threads
2 cups hot water
2 teaspoons chicken stock paste
1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
In a 10 inch skillet, heat oil and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Stir rice into hot fat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. In another pan, heat water and chicken stock paste to boiling, then reduce heat to medium. Add carrot, artichoke and onion to the rice. Cook and stir for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add lemon juice, zest and saffron to rice and veggies. Stir to combine then add 1/3 cup stock to skillet and stir until the rice absorbs the liquid. Repeat until all the stock has been used (this will take 15 to 20 minutes). Check to see if rice is tender, if not, add hot water in 1/3 cup increments until it is tender. Add the cream and Romano, cook and stir to absorb most of the liquid. The risotto should be creamy and tender. Serve hot with additional Romano shavings as a garnish if desired.

Hints: I use my microplane to zest the lemon, grate the carrot and the Romano. It is necessary to have a starchy rice like arborio to get the consistency you are looking for. Fresh lemon is best. I used canned plain artichoke hearts packed in water but fresh would be fabulous. Just keep stirring and don't add too much liquid at a time.

This is a fresh tasting risotto, perfect for Spring. The color is fabulous on a plate...I served it with grilled pork tenderloin and a spinach salad with lemon vinaigrette in these photos. It was a lovely dinner.