Risotto with Asparagus
Creamy arborio rice slowly stirred with tender spring asparagus, each grain perfectly al dente and glistening with Parmesan. This elegant northern Italian classic transforms simple pantry staples into pure comfort, ideal for welcoming the season's first green spears to your table.
By chef Laura Bonicelli
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Total Time
45 min
Servings
6 people
Ingredients
- 4 cupschicken or vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cupbutter
- 1 large onion or white and light green parts of a leek (finely chopped)
- 2 clovesgarlic (minced)
- 4 stalks celery with leaves (finely chopped)
- 2 cupsarborio or carnarelli rice
- 1/2 cupdry white wine
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch asparagus -- woody ends removed; some chopped; some spears (woody ends removed; some chopped; some spears)
- 6 tablespoonsbutter
- 1/2 cupAsiago Cheese (grated)
- 1/2 cupfresh ricotta
- grated Asiago
Nutrition Facts
Per Serving (serves 6 people)
* Nutritional information is estimated and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.
Instructions
- 1
Heat the stock in a saucepan.
- 2
Put olive oil and butter into a separate pan. Add the onion, garlic, and celery, and cook very slowly for about . Do not brown - you just want them to be soft. Turn up the heat and add the rice.
- 3
Fry the rice, constantly stirring, for about a minute. It will get a translucent look to it and become coated with oil. Add the wine all at once. Keep stirring until the alcohol evaporates.
- 4
When the wine has cooked out of the rice, add a ladle full of stock to the rice and lightly season with salt and pepper. Turn heat down to a simmer. Cook the stock down, stirring often to work the starch out of the rice. Keep adding stock and cooking down in this manner.
- 5
When rice is 3/4 of the way cooked, add your chopped asparagus and spears; continue adding stock and cooking down until rice is al dente and asparagus cooks, but is still firm.
- 6
Stir in butter and cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- 7
Serve as soon as possible. Garnish with fresh ricotta and grated Asiago.
Chef's Notes
Copyright: "Chef Laura Bonicelli"