Lemon Risotto and a Merry Christmas

Monty, our tree in Aspen

Happy New Year, and I apologize for the month-long break!  Hopefully you are all relishing in the quiet that comes with the turning of the calendar and having a much needed time to recuperate. We celebrated the turn of the year at my sister's home/work, Emerald City Trapeze Arts and their Gala Luna Blanca, then proceeded to regret certain decisions as we began 2013 with an evening of flying and driving that landed us in bed at 3:00 Wednesday morning.  The beginning of the trip home was spent first with friends and then at our separate families, where I baked and made candy until my feet hurt.  We reunited on Christmas Eve for an afternoon celebration with Steven's family.  After hopping a late-night ferry we awoke Christmas morning and spent lazy hours transitioning from coffee to mimosas and from gifts to a noonish brunch.  Then the real cooking began.  We celebrated Christmas dinner with my parents, sister, sister's boyfriend, 3 uncles, 2 aunts, grandma, and aunt's brother, as well as 3 dogs and many cats.  We cooked an adapted "feast of the seven fishes," a traditional Christmas Eve event in Southern Italy.


The Menu

7 Fishes
Fresh Oyster Shooters
Smoked Salmon
Mixed Seafood Risotto (squid, scallops, shrimp)
Calamari stuffed with Geoduck Clams
Poached Halibut

Vegetable Sides
Eggplant and Tomato Ragu
Sauteed Asparagus
Green Salad

Desert
Tiramisu

Lemon Risotto

I am positive this is not the "traditional" menu, but it was a very fun adaptation compared to the typical American Christmas dinner.  I slightly adapted my lemon risotto recipe by stirring in seafood in place of lemon and using fish stock, but I am giving you the original because I like it better than the adapted.  

Lemon Risotto

• 2 quarts chicken stock, low sodium
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 2 shallots, small dice
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary, minced
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese to garnish

1. Heat stock to a simmer in a large saucepan, and continue to simmer over medium-low heat
2. Heat a dutch oven or other large, heavy pot over medium heat.  Add olive oil and 1 tbs butter and allow to heat for about 30 seconds.
3. Add shallots and saute until soft, 5-6 minutes. 
4. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, 1 minute.
5. Stir in rice and cook until translucent, 2 minutes.
6. Pour wine over mixture and stir until evaporated.
7. Add 1 1/2 cups of stock and stir.  Simmer until absorbed.
8. Continue to add stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and adding more liquid when the previous is absorbed.  
9. While the rice is cooking whisk together egg yolk, cream, and lemon zest.
10. Continue until rice is al dente (soft with a little bit of a bite), you may not need all of the stock. 
11. Stir in egg/zest mixture, rosemary, remaining butter and lemon juice.  Cover and allow to sit 10 minutes.
12. Serve topped with freshly ground black pepper and Parmesan cheese.