Asparagus Risotto

Think Italian food, think pasta. Right? Well, being a rice lover, I LOVE risotto, rich, creamy and cheesy! Combine it with one of my favorite veggies, asparagus and I'm in heaven. OK, yes, it's labor intensive. You must stand, stir and slowly add stock, but it is soooo worth it. Last night Puppy Daddy chose Grilled Chicken Involtini with Basil and Prosciutto for our main dish. Asparagus risotto was the perfect accompaniment. 





There are several keys to great risotto. The first is using the right rice. Aborio is an Italian short grain rice that is very starchy, which is the key to creaminess. The next key is having plenty of warm broth or stock on hand. Finally, you need to stand close by to stir every few minutes and add broth or stock as the rice absorbs it.

You can flavor the risotto with a variety of vegetables. Lots of folks love mushroom risotto. My favorite is asparagus, one of my very favorite veggies. I use chicken stock (you could also use broth for a bit lighter flavor). I add the asparagus with the last bit of stock so that it stays nice and crispy. Finally, add your Parmesan cheese, some butter and the secret ingredient that I learned from my Italian friend Franca, a bit of cream! I'm not kidding, this is seriously delish and well worth the time!!!!

Ingredients
2 TB butter, divided
2 shallots
1 cup Aborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 cup asparagus, sliced into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese grated
1 - 2 TB heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
In a 3 or 4 quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon butter on medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for a minute or two, until translucent. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until nicely coated.

While the shallots are cooking, bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan or heat in the microwave.

Add the wine. Slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine. Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of hot stock to the rice. Continue to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments. Stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 20-25 minutes. With the last ladle of stock, add the asparagus. Turn off the heat.

* The amount of stock is approximate. You may need a little more or a little less.