Lemon Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 cup arborio rice 
• 1 handful basil tops shredded
• 2 tablespoons butter cut into small pieces
• 1 quart chicken stock see 
• 2 cloves garlic grated finely chopped
• 2  lemons 
• 2 tablespoons slivered mint leaves 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil extra-virgin
• 1  onion small to medium chopped
• 0.5 cup pecorino cheese grated
• 4 servings salt and pepper black freshly ground
• 0.5 teaspoon sugar 
• 2 cups water 
• 0.5 cup white wine 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• ladle
• pot

Directions

1. In a large pot, heat the stock and 2 cups water over medium low heat.
2. In a risotto pot or large skillet with a rounded bottom, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium to medium-high heat.
3. Add the onions and garlic to pan and saute to soften 3 to 4 minutes Stir in the rice and add the zest of 1 lemon.
4. Heat the rice for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the wine and cook until evaporated.
5. Add in the hot stock, a few ladles at a time, and stir for a minute with each addition, to develop the starch and the creamy aspect. Total cooking time will be about 18 minutes or so. Keep adding stock each time the pan starts to become dry at the edges. While the rice cooks, peel and supreme or section the flesh of a lemon and finely chop.
6. Sprinkle with a 1/2 teaspoon sugar. When rice is cooked to al dente, stir in the butter, lemon sections, juice of 1 lemon, the cheese and herbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and transfer to a serving bowl.
7. Serve immediately.