Spring Asparagus Risotto
My love for risotto began when I was studying abroad in Florence Italy. Despite my Italian heritage and love for Italian food, I shockingly never had it before then… but I can tell you one thing for certain, it was love at first taste. I had my fair share of risotto dishes at various restaurants in Italy and I even learned how to make it during my time there. One of my most fond memories of this particular food was in my Italian food and wine class, which was incredible and also a bit more challenging than you may think! The class encompassed cooking, wine tasting, as well as pairing food and wine. I still remember the first time a made risotto during that class, learning about the process, cooking the dish, and enjoying it afterwards brought my appreciation for this food to a whole new level!
While I have fond memories of enjoying risotto all over Italy, I always find my self disappointed when ordering it at restaurant here in the US and to be completely honest I don’t think I have tried making it at home since my time in Italy. Recently after another poor experience eating risotto at a restaurant in Brooklyn (I won’t throw anyone under the bus), I decided it was time to make it myself again after all these years. If you’ve never made risotto, I’ll give you a fair warning- it’s not the simplest to make and it requires quite a bit of attention and work. It’s not difficult, but it’s also not one of those dishes you can throw on the stove and leave to cook while you’re doing other things (which are often the meals I like to make). So if you’re up for a little challenge and you’re looking for a new spring recipe, I suggest you make this Spring Asparagus Risotto ASAP!
Good news is, the ingredients are quite simple and the flavors here really come from the fresh veggies… plus the addition of cheese of course!
Here’s what you’ll need:
1 2/3 cups arborio rice
1 bunch of asparagus
1 leek
1 carton Chicken stock
2 tbsp EVOO
1/4 cup of butter
1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese
Juice of half of a lemon
2 tbsp of finely chopped herbs (dill and parsley)
Salt
This fresh spring asparagus risotto is the perfect Italian comfort dish that feels bright and cozy at the same time! Don’t skip out on the sprinkling of fresh herbs, it adds a special brightness of both flavor and color to the dish.
Risotto is a labor of love, and when you make it yourself, I bet you’ll have a whole new appreciation for it too! I fell in love with it all over again and I’m already thinking about what my next risotto creation will be!
