Risotto With Fresh Peas and Asparagus
6 to 8 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of fresh peas blanched for 2 minutes in boiling water, drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside
- 1 cup of asparagus tips blanched for 2 minutes in boiling water, drain, rinse with cool water, and set aside
- 6½ cups chicken stock, homemade or store-bought organic chicken broth, heated through
- ½ teaspoon saffron
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced small
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Zest from 1 lemon
Directions:
- Combine the chicken broth and saffron in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover and keep warm over low heat.
- Heat a stock pot over medium-high heat until warm (about 30 seconds).
- Add oil, butter, onions, and salt. Sauté just until the onions turn translucent and are soft, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently for 4 minutes.
- Add 2 cups of the warm broth and the white wine to cover the rice. Mix well.
- Bring to a gentle boil over low heat, boil gently until the liquid is almost gone.
- Stir in 3 more cups of broth, stirring about every 3 minutes and simmer until the liquid is absorbed.
- Add 1½ cups more broth, ½ cup every 3 to 4 minutes, to keep the rice mixture creamy.
- Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is cooked through, but still a bit firm in the center, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- The last 10 minutes of cooking, stir in the asparagus, peas, Parmesan cheese, and lemon zest.
- Adjust the the seasoning.
- Adding fresh lump crab meat or grilled seafood is a winning combination with the vegetable or just the fish alone!
- Use the juice from 1 fresh lemon to wake up the flavor!
Roasted Raisin and Pine Nut Asparagus With Raspberry Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients:
- 1 lb asparagus, trimmed
- 2 tsps extra-virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup sliced red onion
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 2 ½ tbsps orange juice
- 3 tbsps raisins
- Fresh raspberries
- Feta cheese
- 2 tsps honey
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp orange rind
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Raspberry balsamic reduction glaze drizzled
How to Make Balsamic Reduction Glaze:
- Bottle of any balsamic vinegar--the better the vinegar, the better the taste.
- Pour your bottle of vinegar in a stock pot. Try to use one with sloping sides as the liquid will begin to boil faster as well as reduce at a quickened pace.
- Turn the heat to high and wait for the vinegar to begin to boil.
- Reduce the temperature of the burner to medium.
- Continue simmering, uncovered, until 75% of the vinegar has evaporated.
- Remove the vinegar from the heat and allow it to cool and put in needle-nosed plastic bottle and refrigerate!
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