Weigh and prepare all the ingredients in advance: Put the saffron in the half deciliter of lukewarm water and let it steep.
Finely chop the onion and garlic.
Grate the lemon zest into a small bowl.
Squeeze the lemon juice into another small bowl.
Grate the Parmesan.
Place a sauté pan/pot on the stove and turn it on. You can also use a regular pot or pan.
Add the butter to the pot.
Next, add the rice and shake the pan a bit. The rice needs to be toasted well, but without taking color. Toasting the rice "seals" each grain, giving it a good bite.
Let the rice heat through. You can check if it's heated by holding your fingers (with the back of your hand facing down) over the rice.
Add the onion and garlic to the pot. From now on, you need to stir constantly.
Let everything warm up well, but remember, it's crucial that neither the rice nor the onion takes on color. It should just warm up thoroughly. If it takes on color, the dish will get a "fried" taste, which is not what we're aiming for in a risotto.
Add the white wine.
Let the white wine cook down completely while continuing to stir.
Now add the stock and saffron water to the pot—both a little at a time. Continue stirring while the stock and saffron water cook down. If it dries out, add a bit more and let it cook down as well. Continue this process until the rice is tender.
Add the Parmesan to the pot and stir.
Season your risotto with salt and lemon zest and juice. It's important to add salt only after tasting with the Parmesan, as the cheese itself contributes quite a bit of salt to the dish.
The risotto is now ready to serve! Optionally, grate extra Parmesan over each serving with a sprig of fresh basil on top.
