Lemon Thyme Risotto & A Touch Of Luxury
Like many home cooks I began learning at the heals of my mom in the family kitchen. It was very much her domain where I watched her closely and absorbed her techniques.
Many of our dinners began with chopped onions and garlic, softened in oil or butter. A familiar aroma that meant food was being cooked.
Specifically I remember watching mom make béchamel sauce from a traditional white roux with milk, seasoned with nutmeg for her delicious homemade lasagne. I would listen to the sizzle of chunks of beef in a sauté pan for one of her favorite dinner party dishes Boeuf Bourguignon. She often made big bowls of chopped salad, roast dinners with gravy from scratch and potatoes in all of their forms. A lot to live up to!
So, when I left home for college I already had an idea of the basics but this isn’t the case for a lot of adults I know. If you’re just starting out or looking to refine some techniques we have a series of Instagram “How To” Videos.
Regardless of our culinary skill set we have to get an edible dinner on the table at least a few nights a week, let alone craft “something special”. Our recipes in May are grounded in the idea that we can add a touch of luxury to simple dinners once in a while without spending too much extra or having the prowess of a Michelin starred chef!
The idea came to life when I came across a recipe for risotto in Leites Culinaria which dared to stir in egg yolks to the parmesan. I instantly knew that it was going to be good. I adapted their lemon thyme risotto recipe for the Instant Pot (*see my notes below on why I am wedded to this technique) and those egg yolks added that touch of luxury, making it feel like a special supper. It is citrusy, soft, and creamy and will run slowly from the serving spoon and into the bowl. A risotto needs to be wet, and not clumpy or gummy.
Risotto Lemon Thyme with egg
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1-1/2 cups 1 medium onion, small diced
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 3 -1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 lemons juice and zest
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup 3 oz parmesan cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp fresh Thyme leaves only
Instructions
- Pressure Cook
- Heat butter on sauté function medium; add onion and soften for 2-3 minutes
- Stir in the risotto rice to coat with the butter & onion mixture
- Add the white wine; allow to cook for a further minute allowing some of the alcohol to evaporate
- Turn off sauté function; stir in the vegetable broth & lemon juice (retain zest for later)
- Secure the cooker lid, seal pressure valve; cook on Manual/Pressure for 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together the egg yolk, parmesan, thyme, & lemon zest
- Vent cooker with Quick Pressure Release; stir the egg & cheese mixture into the cooked risotto and serve
Today my home cooking is integral to family life and our business, Zen of Slow Cooking. Since 2012 we’ve been creating simple recipes and manufacture a line of spice blends for the Multi-Cooker, with the desire to bring people back to the dinner table. It is Mental Health Awareness Month in the U.S, and Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. In the words of Mary Berry below (trained Cordon Bleu chef and original “The Great British Bake Off” judge,) cooking and baking can be a tool for supporting our mental health and wellbeing.
* Risotto in the Instant Pot may horrify anyone who wishes to stir the hot broth in one spoonful at a time on the stovetop. I’ve tried both and honestly the Instant Pot wins every time for family dinner nights, through sheer convenience in knowing that I can leave it unattended. It yields a brilliant result in 8 minutes on manual pressure. It is important with any risotto to remove from the heat and serve immediately, before it has time to solidify (the rice continues to absorb the liquid so it can turn hard pretty fast!)
Zen Moment
“Cooking and baking is both physical and mental therapy.” Mary Berry
