Awesome Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (for water)
• 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
• 3 small shallots- minced
• 1 cup (uncooked) arborio rice
• 4 Cups of Chicken Broth
• 1 lb of uncooked asparagus, cleaned  and cut into bite sized pieces
• Cooking Spray
• 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
• Salt and Pepper to tast
• 1/3 cup of grated Parmigianno-Reggiano Cheese

Makes 6 Servings

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Blanch asparagus for 2 minutes.  Remove and place in bowl of ice water.  This will stop the cooking process and make sure that your asparagus don't turn to mush!  They will also stay a very pretty green color.  Set them aside.

Bring Broth to a simmer and keep warm.  Spray a medium pot with cooking spray (to prevent rice from sticking)- melt butter.  Add shallots and cook until translucent about 5 minutes or so.  Add in the rice and mix with butter/shallot mixture- cook for about 2 minutes.
Add lemon juice and cook (about 1 minute) until all juice has been absorbed.  Make sure to stir continuously so rice doesn't stick to the sides of the pot.  Add broth to rice 1/2 cup at a time.  Continuously stir until all liquid is absorbed.

Repeat 1/2 cup at a time until all broth has been absorbed.  This process will seem like it is taking forever, but really its about 20 minutes.  When rice consistancy turns creamy and the rice is slightly chewy but not mushy remove from heat, add cheese, and stir.  Add in asparagus.  Salt and Pepper to taste.

Making risotto is very time consuming, but the result is a very tastey addition to any dinner.


This recipe was featured on the Marvelous May Menu, be sure to check out the rest of the May Menu.