I’m kind of obsessed with the Meyer lemon so you can imagine my delight when our new house came with mature Meyer lemon trees in the back yard. They are sweeter, less acidic and rounder than the more common lemon varieties. The skin is fragrant and thin, colored a deep yellow with a slightly orange tint when ripe.
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Image © Natureal Mom 2013
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 6 cups filtered water
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp Earth Balance
- 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1 cup white wine
- 1-2 Meyer lemons, enough for 1 Tbsp of zest, and 3 Tbsp of juice
- 1 Tbsp of chopped, fresh sage leaves (or herbs of your choice)
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup lightly toasted pine nuts (optional)
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan or Vegan cheese (optional)
Directions
- Pour 6 cups of water into a pot. Add 1 tablespoon Kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and keep warm while you make the risotto.
- In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil and Earth Balance on medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add arborio rice. Stir to coat. Cook, stirring, 5-7 minutes, until the rice just barely begins to brown on some of the grains.
- Add the white wine. Stir frequently until the liquid has been completely absorbed by the rice.
- Reduce heat to medium low. Start adding the hot salted water to the rice, one ladleful at a time. After each addition, stir frequently until the rice has completely absorbed the liquid. Stir enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edge of the pan. Stirring continuously helps extract starch from the rice, to make a creamy sauce for the rice. You’ll end up adding a total of about 4 to 5 cups of water, depending on the rice you are using (older rice may need more water). Continue to add water and stir, until the rice is cooked through and just a tiny bit chewy. The whole process should take about 30 minutes or so. Risotto is a labor of love.
- Stir in 2 Tablespoons of the lemon juice, the lemon zest, chopped sage, and black pepper, reserving a little bit of lemon zest and sage for garnish.
- Top with lemon zest, fresh sage and if desired, toasted pine nuts and finely grated Parmesan.
Enjoy! ♥
