Risotto With Fresh Basil-Mint Pesto - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Risotto
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shallot, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 cup arborio rice
4 cups hot vegetable broth or 4 cups hot chicken broth
2 cups boiling water
salt
fresh ground black pepper
grated parmesan cheese
Herb Pesto
4 cups fresh basil leaves, chopped, lightly packed
1 cup mint leaf, stems removed, chopped, lightly packed
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1/2 lemon, zest of, finely grated (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
3 3 tablespoons almonds or 3 tablespoons walnuts

Preparation

PESTO: In a food processor or blender, combine the basil leaves, mint, garlic and lemon zest. Blend until smooth. Add the salt and pine nuts, pulsing until nuts are chopped.
With motor running, slowly drizzle the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil through the feed tube until you have a smooth puree.
Season pesto to taste with pepper and set aside. Pesto can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance. For best results, do not freeze.
RISOTTO: In a saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots until soft, approximately 2 minutes. Next, add the arborio rice, cooking until grains are opaque and \"glisten\", about another 2 minutes. Be careful not to burn the rice, reducing heat if necessary!
{{Slowly}} stir in 1 cup hot broth. Once broth is absorbed, add more broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring the rice constantly. Stir until liquid is absorbed.
For the next step, add the boiling water in the same manner as the broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Stop adding water when rice is almost done- or \"al dente\". (That means you may or may not use all of the boiling water.).
When rice is al dente, continue stirring constantly. Rice should look moist and not dried out;- the grains creamy looking.
Keep stirring the arborio rice until thick and creamy about 5 minutes more.
Season to taste with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
To serve, divide the cooked risotto among 4 bowls and stir in 1/4 cup of the pesto into each bowl.
Serve the Parmesan cheese on the side, if desired.