Thus the inspiration for this lovely green spinach risotto. It’s a simple risotto—made in the classic Italian way with risotto rice, stock, wine, and Parmesan—with the addition at the end of a half pound of chopped baby spinach with a little lemon zest and juice to brighten the flavors. A tip about making risotto—use a rice that is meant for risotto, like arborio or carnaroli—and don’t rinse the rice. You want to use a starchy rice because it’s the stirring and slow even cooking that helps loosen the starch to create the creaminess of the risotto. Risotto is best served immediately. It starts to firm up quickly after you make it. If you have leftovers and want to reheat, loosen with more stock. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, and nutmeg and cook half a minute more. When you are getting close to using up your heated broth, taste the risotto and add more seasonings if needed. Note that you will be adding Parmesan in the next step which is salty, so you may want to wait before adding more salt. The risotto is ready when it is al dente, cooked through but still a little chewy to the bite, not mushy. Add a little more broth to loosen the risotto. Taste for salt and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
