Risotto is now considered a specialty dish often featured on menus in upscale eating places. It has, however, been a common everyday food in Italian homes for many years. Cooked in different ways to satisfy various tastes, it is almost as popular as pasta in the Mediterranean diet.

It can be prepared as a simple, meatless, light lunch or as an accompaniment to meat or fish for a fuller multi-course meal.

This time of year, spring asparagus especially lends itself to this creamy, cheesy dish to make it an exceptionally flavorful culinary experience.
Asparagus Risotto

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Asparagus Risotto

SERVINGS CHANGE SERVING SIZE

COOK TIME 50mins.

PREP TIME

READY IN

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter divided
• 1/2 cup shallot(s) chopped - (or 1/4 cup onion)
• 1 cup rice arborio
• 1/4 cup white wine (or 1 tbsp. lemon juice and 3 tbsp. water)
• 4 cups chicken broth (or vegetable stock for vegetarian option)
• 1/2 lb. asparagus trimmed, tips cut off, tough skins of the spears peeled (if working with apparatus spears), and the spears cut into 1″ pieces on diagonal
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated, to taste
• Onion salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Blanch the asparagus
2. In a 3 or 4-quart saucepan, heat 1 Tablespoon butter on medium heat.
3. Add the shallots and cook until translucent.
4. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until nicely coated.
5. While shallots are cooking, bring the stock to a simmer in another saucepan.
6. Add the wine. Slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine.
7. Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of hot stock to the rice. Stir until the liquid is almost sticking to the bottom of the pan.
8. Continue adding 1/2 cup of hot stock to the rice at a time, and cooking and stirring until liquid is absorbed each time.
9. You will stop adding stock when the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 20-25 minutes.
10. With the last ladle of stock, add the asparagus. Turn off the heat. Keep the risotto loose. It thickens a lot while it sits.
11. Gently stir in the Parmesan cheese and the remaining 1 Tablespoon of butter. Add onion salt and pepper to taste.