Artichoke risotto: a recipe for a truly outstanding risotto

1. Fill a bowl with cold water and lemon juice, then remove the tougher outer leaves of the artichokes and cut off the tips. Remove the inner beard of the artichokes with a knife or a teaspoon. Finally, cut the artichokes into thin wedges and place them in the lemon and water to prevent them from blackening.

2. Finely chop the onion and garlic and in a large pot, heat the extra virgin olive oil and half of the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and chopped garlic to the pot and sauté until the onion becomes transparent.

3. Drain the artichokes and add them to the sauté, cooking them for about 10 minutes, adding a little vegetable broth if necessary to prevent them from drying out too much.

4. Add the rice to the pot with the artichokes and stir well to toast it for 2-3 minutes.

5. Add a ladleful of hot vegetable broth to the rice and stir constantly. Continue adding the broth one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding the next, for about 18 to 20 minutes.

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and finely chop fresh parsley, add it to the risotto before serving and serve, decorating with a few parsley leaves.