Chicken, lemon and pea risotto

• Olive oil
• 1 Large onion, chopped
• 3 Cloves of garlic, crushed and finely sliced
• The zest of two lemons
• 2 Cups of arborio or calrose (medium grain) rice
• 6 Cups of stock (chicken or vegetable, or both)
• 1 Cup of baby minted peas
• 500g Chicken, cut into large chunks
• To serve:
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese and freshly cracked pepper

Heat olive oil in a large frying pan. Sautee chopped onion and garlic until golden. Add lemon zest and sautee briefly (burns quickly). Add rice and stir to coat with the oil (the heat should be fairly high). If you want, you can now add half a cup of white wine, otherwise, just start adding stock. About one and a half cups at a time, add the hot stock to the frying pan, stirring to mix and then leaving on a low heat to absorb. Stir frequently. When the rice has absorbed most of the stock, add another quantity, continuing until the stock is all added. About 5 minutes before the risotto is cooked (before you add the last quantity of stock, check the rice for doneness), add the peas, and start cooking the chicken in a separate frying pan. Add the cooked chicken to the risotto and stir through. Serve in large bowls with grated parmesan and a light dusting of freshly cracked pepper.

Source: Ben