a yummy resolution...

did i tell you what my new years resolution is? well, here it is... yup. the boyfriend decided i needed to cook more often, and i agreed. i love to eat, and i even enjoy cleaning up the dishes, just not actually make the food. before i met my boyfriend i usually ate take-out most nights (mind you, i was single for a VERY long time prior). living in the heart of the city was/is conducive to eating out; and let's not forget i was a graduate student taking night classes after working a full time job, there just wasn't time for cooking really. the resolution cookbook has been quite successful, so far, although my biggest challenge is figuring out the weekly dinner menus, which i try to do over the weekend so I can grocery shop for the week (or two). i often scour allrecipes.com or flip through issues of food & wine, martha stewart living, women's day , and my new subscription to cooking light magazine (thanks erin!) looking for new recipes to try. if we like them, they go into the cookbook, if not they go into the trash. the boyfriend is a very good cook and does his share of cooking for us, so it's only fair i do my part.

i just noticed this lemon risotto with brussel sprouts recipe on nytimes.com i think i'd like to try, but the boyfriend doesn't like brussel sprouts. i on the other hand dislike nothing (except salmon & anchovies), vegetables are certainly my favorite...


ingredients

1 pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed

Salt to taste

2 quarts well seasoned chicken or vegetable stock, as needed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup minced onion

1 1/2 cups arborio or carnaroli rice

1 to 2 garlic cloves (to taste), green shoots removed, minced

Freshly ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc

2 teaspoons finely chopped lemon zest

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. When the water comes to the boil, salt generously and add the Brussels sprouts. Boil two minutes, then transfer to the ice water. Drain, dry on paper towels and cut in quarters.

2. Put your stock or broth into a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer over low heat, with a ladle nearby or in the pot. Make sure that it is well seasoned.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet. Sear the Brussels sprouts just until beginning to brown, about three minutes, stirring and shaking the pan. Remove from the heat, and transfer to a plate or bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat in the same skillet, or in a large, wide saucepan. Add the onion and a generous pinch of salt, and cook gently until it is just tender, about three minutes. Do not brown. Add the rice and the garlic, and stir until the grains separate and begin to crackle. Add the wine, and stir until it has been absorbed. Begin adding the simmering stock, a couple of ladlefuls (about 1/2 cup) at a time. The stock should just cover the rice and should be bubbling, not too slowly but not too quickly. Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock, and continue to cook in this fashion, stirring in more stock when the rice is almost dry. You do not have to stir constantly, but stir often. After 10 minutes, stir in the Brussels sprouts. Continue adding stock and stirring. When the rice is tender all the way through but still chewy, in about 25 minutes, it is done. Taste now and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Add another ladleful of stock to the rice. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and Parmesan, and remove from the heat. The mixture should be creamy (add more stock if it isn’t). Serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates, spreading the risotto in a thin layer rather than a mound.

Yield: Serves four to six.