It’s impossible to simplify Provençal cuisine to just a few descriptive words. Hundred-page books have struggled to unravel the varied gastronomy of this region. But there is no culinary feat too large for our Galavante team. We searched the coastline, the rivers and the mountains to find the best representation of Southern French fare. We landed in Chef Stéphanie Le Quellec’s kitchen at the Four Seasons. Fresh from her victory on France’s Top Chef, Le Quellec has created the quintessential Provençal menu at the resort’s famed restaurant, Faventia. Here, our interpretation of her seamless vision, including our rendition of the perfect summer dish – a lemon risotto recipe.

Serves 4–6
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups chicken stock
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
4 teaspoons lemon zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For this lemon risotto recipe, you’ll need to stick close to the stove for the full preparation. In a large saucepan, bring chicken stock to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low and cover to keep warm throughout the cooking process. In a deep skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and oil and add shallots and sauté until tender. Add rice and stir to ensure each grain is coated in fat. Pour wine and stir until evaporated, about 30–45 seconds.

Add 1 cup of the hot broth and stir frequently until absorbed. In this lemon risotto recipe, a key to success is to make sure your liquids are hot as you add them to the risotto. This will ensure a creamy consistency.  Add the remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, allowing it to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is creamy and tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining butter. Stir in parsley, lemon zest and juice. Note: the parsley not only add a bit of herbal to this lemon risotto recipe, but also makes it visually pretty. Season to taste and serve immediately.

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