Roasted Broccoli and Cheddar Risotto for Two

Steps

1. 1Warm the Stock. Pour the chicken stock into a small saucepan, and set it over medium-low heat on a burner near the one you’ll be using to cook the risotto. (This makes it easier to transfer ladles of stock into the risotto!) Keep the stock warm, stirring occasionally, until we’re ready to stir it into the rice in a couple of steps.
2. 2Prep the Broccoli for Roasting. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Toss the broccoli florets with avocado oil, a healthy pinch of salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Spread the broccoli out onto a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and set aside until your oven is ready. (I usually start the next step while the oven is preheating!) Once the oven is hot, roast the broccoli for 20 minutes, tossing the broccoli halfway through the roasting process so it cooks evenly.
3. 3Cook the Onions. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat. Once the olive oil is hot, add the onions with a pinch of salt and stir to coat the onions in the oil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until the onions are softened and some are lightly browned.
4. 4Add Garlic and Arborio Rice. Stir the garlic into the onions and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the arborio rice to the pan, and stir to coat the rice in the onions and garlic. Cook the rice (toasting it) for 2-3 minutes until a small white dot remains in the center of most of the grains.
5. 5Stir White Wine into the Rice, and start Cooking the Risotto. Stir the white wine into the toasted rice (it will be dramatic and steam a lot). Once the wine is absorbed into the rice, add a ladle (about 1/3 cup) of the warm chicken stock to the rice, stirring slowly and constantly, until the stock is mostly absorbed. Repeat with another ladle of stock.
6. 6Continue Cooking the Risotto. Keep adding one ladle of stock at a time to the risotto, being diligent and stirring constantly as the rice cooks in the stock. (This process will take about 25-35 minutes total, and is totally worth it.) The constant stirring slowly releases the starches of the rice, which eventually creates the signature creamy texture of risotto. Just be patient, pour a glass of wine if you’d like, and slowly stir until that creaminess is achieved.
7. 7Stir in Cheddar Cheese and Butter. Once all of the stock has been stirred into the rice and the risotto has a beautiful creamy texture, take a small bite of the risotto to make sure the texture is how you like it. If you want it to be a little softer, just continue stirring it for another five minutes or so until it tastes and feels right (if you need more liquid, switch to warm water instead of stock, stirring about 1/4 cup in at a time until the risotto is the texture you like). Once the risotto is totally ready, stir in the cheddar cheese until fully combined.
8. 8Add Broccoli and Lemon Juice. Stir in the roasted broccoli, butter, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Taste the risotto and season with a pinch of salt and pepper if it seems like it needs it.