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Tonight we had a last-minute dinner guest (my husband’s business partner). Luckily, when I got the call, I was already making a big batch of risotto.

I wanted to incorporate some leftover shrimp from a Christmas party the night before. Risotto is fast and easy and fancy enough for dinner guests. It’s also highly nutritious; a great way to get bone broth into your family. For extra flavor, I threw in some bacon and prosciutto, a little fresh sorrel and sage, and the juice of a Meyer lemon, then mixed in the raw cream and Parmesan.

We started the meal with oysters on the half shell and Champagne. Then we had the risotto and a green salad with sunflower sprouts, sprouted lentils and peas, toasted pecans, and homemade vinaigrette.

If you have any risotto left over the next day, you can make fried risotto. Fried risotto makes the best lunch! Just shape some of the risotto into patties and lightly pan fry in lard, duck fat, butter, or olive oil. Serve with a little extra freshly grated Parmesan, and a soup or salad.

Ingredients:
3 TBS grass-fed butter
1 onion (organic if possible)
1 box of Arborio rice (about a pound, organic if possible)
6 cups chicken stock (ideally homemade)
1/2 bag frozen peas (organic if possible)
1 pound shrimp (ideally wild shrimp, frozen or cooked, peeled and deveined)
1 pound prosciutto (or bacon if you don’t have prosciutto)
6-8 ounces Parmesan cheese
6-8 ounces cream (raw cream if possible)
1 small bunch fresh sage
1 large bunch fresh sorrel
1 lemon (I used a Meyer lemon)
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Set a saucepan on the back burner with 6 cups of chicken stock on high heat. When hot, turn down to a simmer. You’re going to leave that saucepan there to stay hot while you cook the rice.

2. Set a large stock pot on the front burner on low heat. Add 3 TBS butter.

3. Chop up an onion and add to the stock pot. Turn up the heat to medium. Cook until the onion is soft.

4. Stir in the the whole box of Arborio rice.

5. Pour one cup of the hot chicken stock onto the rice and stir to incorporate.

6. Stir the rice frequently. Add one cup of stock at a time as it absorbs into the rice. This should take around 20 minutes. If you don’t use all the stock, don’t worry about it. Just keep tasting it until it’s right.

7. Once your rice is cooked, stir in 1/2 bag of frozen peas, shrimp, and bacon or prosciutto (fry the bacon and chop it up before you throw it in).

8. Turn the heat off and stir in the cream and cheese. Cover with a lid to keep warm.

9. Finely chop some sorrel and sage and add to the pot. (I happen to have these growing in my garden. If you don’t have any fresh herbs, you don’t have to add them.)

10. Add the juice of one lemon (Meyer lemons are best, if you can find one) and add sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Serve with a green salad and/or meat or fish.