Roasted Red Pepper Risotto

My first experience with risotto left something to be desired. No, not the rice dish itself. The wonderfully rich sweet potato risotto tasted deliciously creamy and flavorful. A true delight. It was in the restaurant in which I ordered the risotto that left a sour taste in my mouth.

Here's the Cliff Note's version. Rita and co-workers decide to eat at a (semi) upscale restaurant for lunch. Rita is slightly taken aback by the lunch prices, but luckily learns that she can purchase a half-order. Rita promptly chooses a half-order of sweet potato risotto and enjoys it immensely, even though "half-order" in this semi-upscale restaurant equals approximately 1/3 c. Rita receives bill for an amount more than the price of the full order. She inquires about it with the waiter; he says the bill should be at least full price because she didn't order a salad. Yes, she is scratching her head too. An argument commences. A manager is called. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. Finally an agreement is made for approximately 75% of the full order price. Rita grudgingly pays the amount and returns back to work semi-late, subsequently deciding never to visit said restaurant again, despite dreaming about that wonderful risotto dish. Grudges... gotta love them.

So, as any self-respecting food blogger would do, I set about to make risotto in the comfort of my own home. Miraculously, this recipe for roasted red pepper risotto has sat amongst my ever-growing list of bookmarked recipes for several months. I'm glad I revisited it today. The risotto was rich and creamy, without the addition of any type of heavy cream. Fully flavored, from the roasted red pepper, garlic and a bite of lemon throughout the dish. Be sure to check out many of the other wonderful recipes at the Avocado and Bravado website; I've got several bookmarked, just from perusing today!

Ingredients

1 red pepper

1 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. Arborio rice

2 Tbs. white wine

4 c. chicken stock

1/2 tsp. paprika

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/4 c. fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 c. fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Set oven to broil. Wash and dry red pepper; broil until black on all sides, turning every 3 minutes. Remove from oven and place in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool for 15 minutes. Once cooled, peel off blackened skins and chop remaining pepper into small pieces. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the chicken stock. In a separate deep saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and saute for an additional 30 seconds. Add Arborio rice, red pepper and wine. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 1/2 ladlefuls of broth to the rice. Stir continuously until all liquid is absorbed. Repeat until all broth is absorbed into the rice, 25-30 minutes. Add paprika, lemon juice/zest, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well; serve warm.