Asparagus Risotto

Hello again my food loving friends! Now I won't normally be posting everyday but since I am just getting started I thought I would try to get a couple more posts out there. Plus this evening I had the most wonderful risotto for dinner, so I couldn't not share it!

Now risotto for me has a bit of a back story...the first time I ever had risotto was in Banff the day I got engaged. We had a lovely dinner at the Maple Leaf restaurant on Main Street Banff after having just gotten engaged overlooking the Rockies at the Rimrock Hotel. I had the most delicious barley risotto, which, although it is not a traditional risotto, was amazing. It could have been the fact that I was newly engaged and glowing...but I like to think I am not totally misremembering.

The second time I almost had risotto was when my wonderful hubby decided to make us a gourmet meal of rack of lamb, risotto and chocolate lava cakes for dessert. Sounded sooo yummy! And then, as he was making dinner, the smells started wafting into the living room, and I began to feel extremely nauseous. So needless to stay I was hugging porcelain before dinner was even ready (sorry for the gross graphic).

So since that night Jordan has refused to make me risotto (I think I offended him by barfing before he even served me a thing). So after much begging and pleading and promising not to get sick, he gave in and we had risotto in our house once again. So technically I did not make this dish...but I watched and learned and tasted and enjoyed. Risotto seems really complicated because it is so good, and anything that is that tasty usually takes a lot of work. Risotto is really easy, it just takes time and constant vigilance. Also it is so versatile, you can add almost anything. We had asparagus in ours, mainly because it was what we had in the fridge and it needed to be used up. So try a risotto with any type of additions someday soon!

*We had roast chicken with the risotto but I am still tinkering with that recipe, so it may be still to come.




Ingredients:

2 Tbsp unsalted butter (or margarine), divided

1 or 2 large chopped shallots

1 cup arborio rice (must be arborio rice, it won't work with other types)

1/4 cup dry white wine (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 3 Tbsp water)

About 4 cups chicken stock (again, I prefer low or no sodium, but your choice)

1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed, tips cut off, and the spears cut into thin disks

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper
Directions:
Now before you start doing anything, you need to do a bit of prep work because if you try and do everything all at once it might seem overwhelming. I like to get anything that needs to be cut, pre cooked or chopped prepped first and set aside so I have it ready right when I need it.

First, the asparagus, you need to snap the woody bottom end off. If you just bend it near the bottom it will snap naturally where the woodiness ends. Now you need to blanch them which involves cooking them in boiling water for about 4 minutes, or until they are bright green in color. Once they're cooked take them out and place them in a bowl of cold water and ice. This will shock them and they will stop cooking, because nothing is more gross than over cooked asparagus. After you've cooked the asparagus cut it into pieces, while leaving the "flowery" head intact. Set that aside, because you'll need it later.

Next fill a stock pot with the chicken stock and set it to medium high heat so that it eventually comes to a simmer. While that is heating up put 1 tbsp of butter (or margarine, I am too cheap to buy butter all the time, so I usually use margarine in any recipe that calls for butter. Generally it works out the same) in a 3 or 4 quart saucepan on medium heat. Once that has melted add your shallots and cook until translucent (for a minute or two). Now add the rice and cook it for a couple minutes, stirring it until all of the rice is coated.

Add the wine, or the lemon juice and water, I don't drink wine so we never have it in the house and I can't be bothered to buy it just to cook with once or twice a year. Stir the rice slowly but constantly until all of the liquid is absorbed. Now little by little in 1/2 cup (or a ladle full) increments add the now simmering chicken stock and stir the rice until it is absorbed. Just keep at this, cooking and stirring until all of the chicken stock is added. Stir often as the rice will tend to stick to the pot. With the last ladle of chicken stock add the asparagus. This whole process of absorbing the liquid should take 20 - 25 minutes (see, time consuming just to stand there and babysit the rice).

Take the pot off the heat once the last of the liquid is absorbed, add the parmesan cheese and the butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Source: modified from Simply Recipes

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