Light Lemon Risotto
I was looking for a summer risotto. Not generally associated with summer, risotto is a creamy and sometimes rich rice dish that has varying levels of success depending on your expectations. My expectations are high, and over my formative years at Thermomix in Australia as the recipe developer, I did not enjoy the time I spent with risotto, specifically the mushroom risotto, which ranged from a stodgy lump of rice, to a thick soup with floaties. I literally spent about 3 weeks of my life that I will never get back on that single recipe but now this site and its users are the risotto winners. We normally serve this with the Garlic Prawns in the Thermomix recipe but it goes very well with chicken or steak, or even fish (though apparently fish and cheese together are a big Italian no no!)
Can I just mention a few risotto tips and tricks?
- Always use a risotto rice. This would mean arborio or carnaroli or nano all of which have excellent absorption properties whilst releasing the necessary starch to make the risotto creamy. Any other variety of rice will just give you a soggy, gluey mess. Some risottos add cream and we have it in this recipe as an optional extra, but in fact the rice should create the creaminess as it cooks, the grains bumping against each other with just enough force to release their starches together into a lovely texture.
- The ratio of liquid to rice should be a minimum 1.5. So, for 300g rice, you should have at least 550g liquid. Personally I enjoy a lot more liquid in my risotto than that, and as we are using the thermomix, and there is no stirring involved, it is easy to add much more. But never go under that ratio.
- Rice is quite bland, so add as much flavour as you deem necessary. Herbs, cheese, prawns, aromatics like garlic, leek, onions, eschalots etc, roasted pumpkin, capsicum, eggplant, pine nuts, lemon zest, butter, more butter, cream (which actually then makes it something called Mantecato) and of course anything else that takes your fancy.
- Don’t be afraid to add more liquid. If the rice seems to be absorbing it all, splash in some more alcohol, stock or water.
- Now that you are an expert, go and do! Then post pics on social media to let your dinner porridge friends know!
We have quite a few risotto recipes that we love on here, don't forget to bookmark this recipe and come back for more!
Lemon, Pea and Parmesan Risotto
Mushroom Risotto with Ian Curley
Perfect Four Cheese Risotto in Thermomix
Creamy Leek Risotto with Rosemary Gremolata
Risotto with Truffled Feta and Sardine Crumb
Roasted Tomato Quinoa with Basil Pesto
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Need
- 1 Handful flat leaf parsley
- 2 lemons zest, finely grated
- 60 Grams parmesan cheese cubed
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 eschalots (French shallots)
- 20 Grams Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) BUY
- 300 Grams arborio rice or Carnaroli or Nano rice
- 100 Grams white wine
- 700 Grams liquid stock of choice
- 80 Grams lemon juice, fresh
- 40 Grams Umami Paste (optional) Recipe
- 1-2 Pinches pink salt flakes BUY
- Cream to taste (optional)
- Additional finely grated lemon zest to garnish
Do
- 1
Place parsley into Thermomix bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 7. Remove from bowl and set aside.
- 2
Place zest and parmesan into Thermomix bowl and mill 8 sec/speed 8. Remove from bowl and set aside.
- 3
Place garlic, eschalots and EVOO into Thermomix bowl and chop 3 sec/speed 4. Scrape down sides of bowl and saute 3 min/Varoma/speed 1.
- 4
Add rice and white wine and saute 2 min/Varoma/Reverse/speed 1.5. (Not rocket science here folks, find a spot between speed 1 and speed 2 and call it speed 1.5!!)
- 5
Add stock, Umami paste if using, lemon juice and salt and cook 16 min/100ºC/Reverse/speed 1.5.
- 6
Add chopped parsley and a splash of cream if using and stir through 3 sec/Reverse/speed 1.5.
- 7
Serve immediately. This is very important. The longer you leave it after cooking, the stodgier it becomes. Not risotto at all.
More
Serve piping hot with grated cheese and lemon zest sprinkled over.
Served with
Tenina Holder is a wife, mother of five and grandmother of eight, who started cooking in the olden days before Thermomix was even a thing.
Tenina has become the premium go to source for all Thermomix expertise and of course fresh and easy recipes that work. Her cooking classes and foodie trips are sold out in literally hours, her cookbooks appear on the Australian best seller lists and her social reach is in the millions. Her Insider Club is the most fun you can have with a Thermomix and you really should join her! She believes chocolate, butter and salt are health foods. Her food positivity mantra is, eat everything, just not all at once!
