Italian

artichoke risotto with lemon and parsley
S e r v e s 6 a s a n a p p e t i z e r
o r s i d e d i s h
4 large artichoke bottoms,
halved, in lemon water
1/4
11/2
11/2
cup extra-virgin olive oil
cups thinly sliced leeks (white
and pale green parts only),
rinsed well and drained
1 large clove garlic, minced
Sea salt or kosher salt
5 to 6 cups homemade chicken
broth (or equal parts lowersalt
canned broth and water);
more as needed
cups arborio rice
1 Tbs. minced fresh flat-leaf
parsley
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper
The artichokes get a head start here since they’re braised until tender before the
rice is added. By the time the rice is cooked, the artichokes have all but melted.
1. Thinly slice each artichoke half. Return the slices to the lemon water. Heat
2 Tbs. of the olive oil in a heavy, wide-based pot (like a Dutch oven) over
medium-low heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until
the leeks are soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the artichokes and add them to
the pot; season with salt and stir to coat. Cover and cook until the artichokes
are tender, about 15 minutes, checking to be sure they’re not burning (a little
browning is good).
2. Meanwhile, put the broth in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Adjust the heat to keep the broth at a bare simmer.
3. Add the rice to the artichokes and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add enough
broth to cover the rice and simmer gently, stirring often and adding more
broth, 1/2 to 3/4 cup at a time, when the previous addition has been absorbed.
(You may not need to use all the broth, or you may need a little more.) After
18 to 20 minutes, when the rice is just al dente, cover the pot and remove it
from the heat. Let stand for 3 minutes, uncover, and stir in the remaining 2 Tbs.
olive oil, the parsley, lemon zest, and several grinds of pepper. Taste and adjust
the seasonings, adding more broth to loosen the risotto if you like. Divide
among warm bowls and serve immediately. —Janet Fletcher
PER SERVING: 340 CALORIES | 9G PROTEIN | 55G CARB | 10G TOTAL FAT | 2G SAT FAT |
7G MONO FAT | 1G POLY FAT | 0MG CHOL | 430MG SODIUM | 7G FIBER
194 P o l e n ta & R i s o t t o