Mushroom Asparagus Risotto
As best I can, I like to cook with fresh, seasonal ingredients. No one ever raves about strawberries in December or clementines in August. My favorite go-to spring vegetable is asparagus. We eat it in some way at least one night a week - usually roasted on a sheet pan in the oven with avocado oil, salt and pepper. This time of year it just looks so beautiful and crisp it’s hard to resist. We are also lucky to live near the mushroom capital of the world, so fresh, local mushrooms are always accessible. This recipe sees the marriage of the two to create the perfect spring-time dinner that feels fancy but is still categorized as “one-pan” or “thrown together”.
Ingredients
1 quart chicken stock (homemade preferred)
300g arborio rice (about 1 1/4 cups)
1 lb. fresh mushrooms (I used baby portobello)
4 Tbs. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 tsp soy sauce
1 cup dry white wine
1 lb. asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/4 cup heavy cream
kosher salt and black pepper to taste
parmesan and parsley to taste
Method
Heat butter over medium-high heat in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the mushrooms in a single layer as best you can, and leave undisturbed for a few minutes to brown. Stir to flip and add a pinch of salt. Continue cooking for a few more minutes, to ensure the moisture is gone. Add in onion and garlic, stir to mix and cook for a few minutes. Add the rice and stir, cooking until toasted and the edges begin to appear translucent. Pour in white wine and mix well to cook down and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Add in the chicken stock about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well and allowing the rice to cook for 3-5 minutes between additions (or until liquid is cooked off). Once the rice is al dente, place the asparagus in the pot. Stir and cook until it is just tender-crisp. Take the pot off of the heat and mix in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve risotto with additional parmesan cheese and black pepper.