Spinach Risotto , Part 2 of Chicken stuffed with Mushroom served with Spinach Risotto

Yup, back to my supper delicious meal of mushroom-stuffed chicken with spinach risotto.  I have been searching for risotto rice or arborio rice for quite some time and was quite surprised to discover it here in Maldives. 
After several failed attempts I succeeded with this one quite by accident.  I don't know if the texture is the same as the real one but the rice grains did stick to each other with a tiny bite to them and was lovely and creamy. I think the secret to a great risotto is to serve it while its still warm  other wise the  creaminess disappears.  So  enjoy the recipe:

Recipe: Spinach Risotto

3/4 cups of Arborio rice or Risotto rice
1/2 large onion, chopped finely
1 fat clove of garlic, finely chopped
200g of frozen spinach, thawed ( use fresh if you like, blanched and chopped)
about 1 -2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
about 4 cups of Chicken or vegetable stock ( fresh or 1 stock cube dissolved in hot water)
Generous handful or two of grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp  grated lemon zest
Pinch of salt/ pepper

1. Squeeze the water from the spinach and chop it up. Heat a small saucepan, pour stock in and let it simmer over a very low heat.

2. Heat a pan or deep frying pan (next to the simmering  stock) with butter, dizzle in olive oil. Add onion and stir till it becomes soft. Stir into garlic. Stir for 1 minute and add rice grains.

3. Ladle in stock ( about 2 ladles full)  and stir till the stock is absorbed. Don't keep the flame so high, a moderate heat is fine.

4. Keep adding  a ladle of stock at a time, stirring continously till the rice is cooked. Ladle stock after the stock gets absorbed.  The mixture will get creamier, and the rice opaque. Taste rice grain, if its done it will have a lovely taste with just a tiny bite, but not hard grains.

5. Now stir in spinach , stir to cook through, Sprinkle in lemon zest and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste again. Switch off and add stir in  parmesan cheese.  Let it settle  for 5 minutes  then ladle into servine plates, give a little shake to settle the grains. 

Check out here for step-by-step instructions on how to make a risotto.
Place the stuffed chicken pieces on top and serve. 

Enjoy and Have a lovely Weekend!!!

3. Stir fry the rice  till its coated with the onion and butter mixture.