This is a great risotto, light but full of flavor. It compliments almost any protein and is delicious as leftovers the next day. Enjoy!
Ingredients (for four servings, trust me, you'll want to make at least this much!):
8 thin slices prosciutto
6 c chicken broth
1 bunch asparagus spears*
4 tbsp butter, divided
2 shallot, finely chopped
1 1/2 c arborio rice
1 1/2 c Champagne
1/2 c freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Crisp the prosciutto slices in a 450 F degree oven (about 6-8 minutes). Set aside to cool.
Boil chicken stock in a pot. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and toss in the asparagus spears. I prefer to keep them whole stalks at this point (with the woody end removed**) since they are easier to fish out the the stock. Blanch them for a couple minutes, but don't over do it, since you want to keep them pretty firm and crunchy. Once removed, keep the stock at a simmer. Cut asparagus into 1 inch long pieces when they are cool enough to handle.
In a saucepan, melt 2 tbsp of butter. Add the shallot and cook until tender (a few minutes). Add the rice and toss with the shallot and butter. You want to toast the rice, so keep it moving in the pan with the butter until it turns in color from opaque white to more of a clear color (about 3 minutes). Add the champagne and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add the stock at a 1/2 c at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid in between additions. It's a slow process, but very worth it. Once the rice is creamy and tender, you can stop adding the stock and stir in the remaining butter, cheese and asparagus spears. Season with the salt and pepper. Top with crumbled bits of proscuitto and serve.
* I like to keep my asparagus spears in a water glass in the fridge. I find they keep fresher longer when I store them this way as opposed to a bag in the crisper drawer.
**To remove the woody portions of asparagus, hold the two ends of the stalk and bend, it will break at the point where the woody portion begins. Discard that bottom of the stalk and cut all others at that length (or break them all off individually). The tips are the best part (despite what my picky eater sister thinks!) so don't discard those!
This recipe was adapted from this recipe, by Giada De Laurentis.
Ingredients (for four servings, trust me, you'll want to make at least this much!):
8 thin slices prosciutto
6 c chicken broth
1 bunch asparagus spears*
4 tbsp butter, divided
2 shallot, finely chopped
1 1/2 c arborio rice
1 1/2 c Champagne
1/2 c freshly grated Pecorino Romano
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Crisp the prosciutto slices in a 450 F degree oven (about 6-8 minutes). Set aside to cool.
Boil chicken stock in a pot. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and toss in the asparagus spears. I prefer to keep them whole stalks at this point (with the woody end removed**) since they are easier to fish out the the stock. Blanch them for a couple minutes, but don't over do it, since you want to keep them pretty firm and crunchy. Once removed, keep the stock at a simmer. Cut asparagus into 1 inch long pieces when they are cool enough to handle.
In a saucepan, melt 2 tbsp of butter. Add the shallot and cook until tender (a few minutes). Add the rice and toss with the shallot and butter. You want to toast the rice, so keep it moving in the pan with the butter until it turns in color from opaque white to more of a clear color (about 3 minutes). Add the champagne and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add the stock at a 1/2 c at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid in between additions. It's a slow process, but very worth it. Once the rice is creamy and tender, you can stop adding the stock and stir in the remaining butter, cheese and asparagus spears. Season with the salt and pepper. Top with crumbled bits of proscuitto and serve.
* I like to keep my asparagus spears in a water glass in the fridge. I find they keep fresher longer when I store them this way as opposed to a bag in the crisper drawer.
**To remove the woody portions of asparagus, hold the two ends of the stalk and bend, it will break at the point where the woody portion begins. Discard that bottom of the stalk and cut all others at that length (or break them all off individually). The tips are the best part (despite what my picky eater sister thinks!) so don't discard those!
This recipe was adapted from this recipe, by Giada De Laurentis.
