BLACK RICE AND ARBORIO RISOTTO WITH ARTICHOKES

BLACK RICE AND ARBORIO RISOTTO WITH ARTICHOKES image

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

1 cup black rice, like Lundberg Black Japonica or Forbidden Rice, cooked (3 cups cooked)
8 baby artichokes, trimmed and quartered, or 1 12-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1 lemon, cut in half
About 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock, as needed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
Salt to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup arborio rice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup dry white wine, like pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or a mixture of Parmesan and pecorino Romano (optional)
Freshly ground pepper

Steps:

1. Cook rice acc. to directions, remove lid, place dishtowel over and return lid to pot. Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes. 2. Put your stock or broth into a saucepan and bring it to a simmer on the stove, with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that it is well seasoned. 3. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and salt to taste, and cook gently until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts and the garlic and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until the artichoke hearts are beginning to color. 4. Stir in the arborio rice and thyme and stir until the grains become separate and begin to crackle. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until the wine has just about evaporated and been absorbed by the rice. Stir in enough of the simmering stock to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, adding more stock when the rice is almost dry and stirring often, for about 20 minutes. When the rice is tender all the way through but still chewy, it is done. Add pepper, taste and adjust seasoning. 5. Mince the parsley and lemon zest together, and add to the risotto with the black rice, along with another ladleful or two of stock and freshly ground pepper. Simmer, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add another small ladleful of stock and a teaspoon or two of lemon juice, and stir in the cheese if using. Serve right away, in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.