Not spring: Risotto withshrimp, procuitto, lemon

It looked like spring for a minute—really.



But then the rain smacked down my daffodils.

And I noticed my fruit trees are bare.

And my husband has turned into a phlegm monster. No picture of that (you're welcome).

So it must still be winter, which is FINE because I've still got business to take care of in the mountains. In the snow. At Squaw. On Headwall and Granite Chief, to be exact. Stuff, you know.

But winter also means time for more winter dishes cooked as a slow simmering pace, using ingredients that do not require me to leave the house. Using my standard risotto recipe, I modified using some prosciutto, shrimp, and chicken broth, all of which I usually have a stock of in my freezer.

And I found one of my backyard trees that is not bare—my Meyer lemon. So that went in too.

The salty prosciutto balances nicely with the sweetness of the shrimp. This risotto is rich enough that just a sprinkling of parmesan at the end is all that's needed.

RISOTTO WITH SHRIMP, PROSCIUTTO, AND LEMON

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 shallots, minced

2—4 ounces prosciutto, diced
1-1/2 cup of arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
5 cups of stock

1 pound large uncooked shrimp, peeled and chopped coarsely
zest from several lemons

1/4 cup Parmesan, grated

Saute the shallots in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the butter until translucent. Add the rice, stir to coat and saute for 2 minutes. Add prosciutto and saute until slightly crisped. Add the wine and cook uncovered, stirring often until liquid is absorbed. Add 1/2 cup of stock, simmer until absorbed, and repeat until until the rice is tender.

Stir in shrimp and lemon zest and cook until shrimp is just pink. Sprinkle and cheese and serve.

Very tasty but not particularly colorful. I served with sauteed chard and roasted orange cauliflower, which helped.

A commentor was asking about about ski house dinners. This would be a great one—it's warm, rich, and manageable to prepare even when you've stepped out of your hot shower and would just as soon do a face-plant into bed. And it makes great leftovers for lunch the next day, handily beating out expensive sucky lodge food.