Roasted Brussels Sprouts Risotto

It is a gorgeous day outside. Nothing like a beautiful, warm day to lift the spirits after a long, tough winter. It would be perfect to go lie on a blanket in the park and read. But since I have to leave for work very soon, and since I live in an apartment on the 10th floor with no balcony, I will instead lie on the couch underneath an open window enjoying the breeze with a book in hand. The book? A Barcelona travel guide. Yep, Joe and I will be heading to Spain next month! All of my energy right now is devoted to dreaming of that trip (and the pounds and pounds and pounds of food I will consume there). If anyone of you has any suggestions on things to do/places to eat I will take them!

None of that has anything to do with this recipe. But! this risotto is slightly lighter with the Brussels Sprouts and lemon, so it's a good dish for those winter days that feel almost like spring.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Risotto

3-4 servings

10-12 Brussels sprouts

2 TB olive oil

4 pieces bacon

2 TB chopped shallot

cooking oil

3/4 c. arborio rice

1/4 c. white wine

2 c. chicken stock

2 c. water

3 egg yolks

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 lemon

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 425.

Clean the brussels sprouts and then separate each one into individual leaves (once you get to the very center and the leaves are too small to pull off chop the remaining piece in half). Place the leaves and the centers onto a baking sheet. Toss with 2 TB olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast until the leaves are slightly crispy and browning at the edges, about 8-10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Heat the water and chicken stock together in a saucepan until it begins to boil. Turn it down to low and keep it over the heat while cooking the risotto.

Chop the bacon. Cook in a medium saucepan until crispy, then remove and set aside. If necessary add cooking oil to the same pan to bring the fats up to about 2 TB (including the bacon fat). Turn the heat to medium and saute the shallots until soft. Add the arborio rice and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until the rice has absorbed the liquid, stirring constantly. Add a ladle of stock/water mixture to the rice and stir until it has absorbed. Continue to add the stock/water in the same manner a ladle at a time, stirring constantly, until all the liquid has been added or the rice is fully cooked. If you have added all of the liquid and the rice is still not finished continue to add water until it is done. 

Remove the risotto from the heat. While stirring add in the egg yolks, stirring quickly so the yolks do not scramble. Then stir in the Parmesan cheese, the cooked bacon and the brussels sprouts. Add the zest of 1 lemon and then squeeze in 1 TB of lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste and serve.