Many Valentine's Day menus call for fish, especially shrimp. Not partial to it, or allergic to it? This sensual lamb risotto will be both tasty and a little unusual -- the perfect dish to serve in a romantic occasion, or an elegant meal. To serve 4 you'll need:
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) Carnaroli or other short-grained rice
- A rack of lamb (the ribs), weighing 2 pounds (900 g)
- 1/4 pound (100 g) eggplant, diced
- A shallot, minced
- A bay leaf
- 1 1/2 quarts (1.5 liters) simmering broth
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano or Grana Padano
- 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh thyme
- 1/3 cup olive oil
Preparation:
Trim the rack of lamb, removing the 8 nicest chops, and set them aside. Boil the remaining meat to make the broth.Sauté the minced shallot with the bay leaf in half the oil, and then it is golden add the rice. Continue to cook, stirring, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes, and then add the diced eggplant. Check seasoning, and after another minute begin adding broth, a ladle at a time.
While the rice is cooking, heat the remaining oil in a skillet large enough for the chops to lie flat, and season the oil with half the thyme. Add the chops and cook them to taste, turning them several times and seasoning them with salt and pepper. An Italian will cook them fairly well done -- my father-in-law recoils from rare lamb -- and I suggest you follow their lead, though you are free to cook less if you want.
When the rice has reached the al dente stage, season it with the remaining thyme, stir in the remaining butter and the cheese check seasoning, and cover the pot for a minute.
Serve the risotto with the chops.
