Only 2 things are certain: Death and...

...dinner.

I'm in the mood for risotto and the Bubbles complied. They gave me cremini mushrooms and frozen peas to fold in and shrimp to serve on the side. I love the Bubbles! (Today, anyway!)

Although I can't claim Italian heritage, risotto has long been one of my favorite comfort foods...It's creamy, satisfying and you can eat it with a spoon if you like. Kind of a hot version of ice cream...effortless to eat and just slides down. Ahhhh.....

I hear that some people are afraid to make it...

"Too much stirring," some say.

"Too much watching," others say.

"Too much kvetching," I say.

As long as your stock remains hot and your pot is sturdy, risotto is a cinch.

Details?
Here goes:

-In a stock pot heat 9 to 10 c chicken stock to simmering.
-Mince 2 large shallots, 4 garlic cloves and a sprig's worth of fresh rosemary leaves.
-In a heavy pot - I used my dutch oven - melt 4 T butter with 2 t olive oil...butter's for flavor, oil's to reduce burn.
-Add the shallot and onions and when they've sweated, add 2 c arborio rice to coat in the fat and toast just a smidge.
-Stir in a third c white wine to the rice and when it's been absorbed, stir in the stock 1 c at a time making sure each addition has been absorbed before you add the next. You do have to vigilantly stir so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom.
-After incorporating about 8 c of stock, season with a half t salt and lots of ground black pepper.
-Add more stock until the rice is creamy and al dente.
-Add 5 large sliced mushrooms, a half c peas, the rosemary and 2 handfuls grated parmesan and fold it all in.
-Serve immediately.

Oh, the shrimp! I forgot to tell you about them!
I put about a half pound onto a half sheet pan after marinating them in the juice from a lime, half a lemon and a clementine (they are REALLY orange!) as well as a sprinkle of chili powder. I popped the pan onto the hot grill and stirred them until they were pink. Whew, sorry 'bout that!

I'm thinking one other thing might be a certainty in life...how utterly happy risotto makes me feel.