Lemon Risotto

I grew up eating a lot of risotto (my family is Italian), so I've been working on making a vegan version of the risotto that mom used to make. Risotto is actually a pretty easy dish to veganize. Arborio rice has a naturally creamy texture after you boil it, so you don't really need to add cheese to get the right consistency. That said, if you still feel the urge to add non-dairy cheese, make sure that it's a mild-flavored brand that actually melts (try Chicago Soydairy's Teese or Vegan Gourmet in the mozzarella or monterey jack varieties).

Lemon Risotto

Ingredients
1/2 stick soy margarine (I use Earth Balance)
3 shallots finely chopped
white wine (I just use whatever is in the fridge)
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/4 cup arborio rice
3 cups approx. veggie stock
1/2 TBSP chopped fresh thyme
1 cup frozen peas
salt, pepper, nutmeg
OPTIONAL: 1 package White Wave chicken-style seitan, chopped into small pieces
OPTIONAL: 2 oz soy mozarella, grated (I used Vegan Gourmet mozarella, but I think that the Chicago Soydairy Teese would have worked even better)

Directions
1. Melt half of the soy margarine and cook the shallots in the margarine until soft. Add about 1 cup of white wine, and half of the lemon zest. Boil until wine is reduced and pan appears almost empty of liquid.

2. Pour in the rice and coat each piece with soy margarine and shallots. Add veggie stock (about 1/2 cup at a time) until approximately 3 cups have been absorbed by the rice. It should take about 20-30 minutes.

3. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, remaining soy margarine and lemon zest, thyme, lemon juice and (OPTIONAL) soy cheese.

4. Add peas and (OPTIONAL) seitan and stir until the peas are heated.