Therapy

Right now I'm kind of obsessed with risotto. It seems like whenever I find it on a menu, I order it. And whenever I have the time (key word here: time), I make it. Although risotto is a time-consuming and high-maintenance dish, I find it very therapeutic to make, especially after a long hard day of drilling the present perfect progressive into students who could care less. It really is healing to me, though, kind of like sitting down and playing the piano for a few hours was when I was a kid, much to the annoyance of my three siblings. (If it makes any difference, guys, I haven't played the Spinning Song for 15 years!) I like to pour myself a tall glass of pomegranate juice, flip on a little Iron Chef America, and stand next to the warm stove, stirring and dreaming of places like Paris and Transylvania. (Yes, Transylvania is romantic. Especially when it snows.)

I've made this recipe now several times for a couple friends and for family. Every time, it's been a hit, especially if I serve it in those cute little lemon "cups." If you're new to the world of risotto, this is a good one to start with. Like I said earlier, it does take time, so don't make it if you've got to be somewhere in an hour. You've got to treat this dish like a baby, tenderly and lovingly feeding it with broth when it sucks up all the liquid you put in just a few minutes ago and stirring it constantly. You do this for anywhere from 20 minutes to a half-hour. Maybe even a little bit more. No matter how long it takes you to make, though, I assure you, you'll love it. You'll be back for seconds and you'll be dreaming of it for the next several days, longing for its creamy, comforting texture and its balanced cheesy and lemony flavor. The lemon delightfully brightens the heaviness of the Parmigiano and the ricotta. I think you'll become obsessed, too.

Lemon Parmesan Risotto

Adapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

Remember, this recipe takes time. But it is so worth it. You don't have to prepare the little lemon cups for it, although they're a great idea for a dinner party. This risotto pairs nicely with some good stuffed peppers and zucchini. Giada has a great recipe here. Also, remember to use low-sodium chicken broth so you can control the amount of salt in this dish. You can use regular broth if you don't have low-sodium, but do be careful with the salt at the end. Taste, taste, taste before adding more.

2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon

1 large shallot, diced

1 cup Arborio rice (you must use this kind of rice)

2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus 2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons ricotta cheese

1/2 a lemon, zested and juiced

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 lemons, for serving

In a medium saucepan, bring broth and 1 cup water to a simmer. Cover the broth and keep hot over low heat.

In a medium, heavy saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute until tender but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the butter. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of the broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy (tasting is the best way to judge this), about 20-30 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, 2 tablespoons of Parmigiano, ricotta cheese, the lemon zest and juice, and the salt and pepper.

To serve, cut 1/4-inch off the bottom of each lemon so they stand on their own. Take 1-inch off the stem end. Using a grapefruit spoon or something similar, scoop out the flesh of the lemon and discard (unless you want to use the juice for something). Fill each lemon with risotto. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining Parmigiano. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.