Elevate your classic Italian risotto with a burst of tangy citrus flavour.

I don’t know about you, but those wet and grey January days make me yarn for bright colours. So, it’s good that winter is peak citrus season. From lemons to oranges, clementines, mandarins, tangerines, and grapefruits, these days just call for sunny citrus recipes to pull through the final stretch of dark winter days.

Widely known as ‘the country where the lemons grow’ it’s perhaps no surprise lemons are a fixture in Italian cuisine. They make a great base for a wide variety of food, adding a wonderful burst of flavour to both sweet and savoury dishes, whether squeezed over fish, worked into a fresh salad, made into a creamy pasta sauce, or whipped into dessert. There are in fact endless options to create a delicious lemony dish.

Though I am deeply in love with a zesty lemon pasta, I am perfectly happy with a creamy, tangy Risotto al Limone too.

How to make Risotto al Limone (Lemon Risotto)

This deliciously creamy and tangy lemon risotto follows the classic risotto recipe, simply adding lemon juice and zest. It’s a fantastic dish to be enjoyed on its own or served with shrimp or when in season green asparagus.

Serves 4

2 shallots, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
300 g risotto rice (Carnaroli or Arborio)
100 ml dry white wine
1 litre vegetable broth
1 lemon
100 g freshly grated parmesan
? bunch of fresh parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper

In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat then add the shallots and cook until translucent (2-3 minutes).

Add rice and zest of ? lemon and stir to coat in the butter for another 2-3 minutes until the rice turns translucent. Add white wine and cook until nearly evaporated, stirring occasionally.

Reduce the heat to medium-low, then start to add the vegetable broth one ladle at a time. Cook until the broth is absorbed, stirring occasionally, then add the next ladle. Continue until the rise is soft, for about 20-25 minutes.

Take from the heat, season with salt and pepper then add the grated parmesan and stir to combine. Stir in the juice of ? a lemon and parsley.

Serve topped with more grated parmesan and another splash of lemon zest.