Shrimp and asparagus risotto.

I seem to be in a food sort of way this week…I guess because Lent started today and I always give up sweets for Lent have since I was a kid…you don’t want to be around me the first week…not pretty major withdrawal!  So thinking about food….I wanted to share a recipe with you. It is one I made with my BFF, Tom Mantel, last week (we love to cook together even in my minuscule kitchen, we seem to make it work), I posted a photo on my Instagram account at that time and promised the recipe this week so here you go….

RISOTTO WITH TRUFFLE OIL AND PARMESAN

Adapted from Allrecipes

1 quart chicken broth

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion minced

1 1/4 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine (I think we added a bit more!)

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons white truffle oil

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (we used an Italian 3 cheese blend)

1 teaspoon milksalt

salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Heat chicken broth over medium heat until warm, heat 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil in a large pan, stir in onion until translucent, about 2 minutes.  Add rice to onion mixture and stir to coat, cook and stir rice until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Pour wine into mixture, cook and stir until liquid is absorbed about 5 minutes.  Add l ladle of hot chicken broth to rice mixture, stirring constantly until broth is absorbed.  Continuing adding 1 ladle of broth at a time until rice is tender but firm to the bite, about 20-30 minutes (it didn’t take that long for ours!) Mix in 2 tablespoons butter, truffle oil, cheese, and milk into risotto until full incorporated, season with salt, pepper, and parsley.

I would say the recipe would serve two generously, four as a first course.  With our additions, it served two perfectly with another portion for me at another meal.

THIS IS A WONDERFUL BASIC RISOTTO RECIPE TO ADD TO YOUR RECIPE COLLECTION AND YOU CAN ADD WHATEVER YOU LIKE OR SERVE AS IS!

WE ADDED THE FOLLOWING:

1 pound defrosted shells on medium shrimp (we used them whole)

3 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup white wine

1 pound asparagus (used only the very tips of them)

Additional grated Italian three cheese blend

Additional chopped parsley for garnish

Remove shells from shrimp, rinse pat dry. Melt butter with white wine and quickly saute shrimp until pink. throw in asparagus, if narrow spears they will cook quickly, if thick, I would suggest cooking separately and when almost tender combine with shrimp.

To Serve:  Place a portion of risotto in the center of your plates (we used a deep plate almost a bowl)

and top with shrimp and asparagus, top with additional grated cheese and additional parsley and slices of Italian bread.

Serve with lightly dressed green salad with Mandarin oranges, and, as usual, lots of wine, in this case, a nice dry white wine that you used for the risotto.  I would do a light fruit dessert.  The dish is very rich and really yummy, a perfect Lenten or anytime meal!