For the past two weeks, our farmers market has been overflowing with fresh, tender asparagus, so in the spirit of eating seasonally and locally, we've managed to consume quite a lot of it.
One of our favorite ways of enjoying it is to make a very simple risotto, then adding the barely cooked, delicate asparagus at the end. The lively green crunch blended with some really good parm is truly wonderful.
Last night, we enjoyed this dish with an Chappellet's '06 Petit Sirah. Amazing!
Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lg. shallot, chopped fine
1 1/2 cup arborio rice
1 cup white wine (one you would actually drink!)
6 - 8 cups vegetable or chicken broth (preferably homemade)
1/2 grated parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups fresh asparagus (slightly cooked and sliced diagonally into 1" pieces)
Method:
For broth and asparagus
Heat broth is a sauce pan until hot but not boiling.
Once the broth is hot, place asparagus in a sieve that can span the width of the sauce pan so that asparagus can cook in the broth while you're stirring the rice in another pan (see photo below).
Remove asparagus once it is tender but still al dente. Set aside until you add it to rice later on.
For risotto
Pour olive oil into a large, shallow, heavy-bottomed pan and heat.
Add shallots and saute until soft
Add arborio rice and stir constantly until all the grains are well coated with oil (approx. 1 minute).
Using a ladle, pour broth into pan that contains rice, olive oil and shallots in batches and stir until all liquid is absorbed.
Continue adding broth and stirring until rice is tender but still al dente (approx. 30 - 40 minutes).
Once rice is tender, turn off heat and add risotto, parmesan and butter.
Stir together until cheese melts and is fully incorporated into rice.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
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