Browned Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

Make sure you have time to make this recipe, if you are hangry this is NOT the recipe for you. My favorite time to make risotto is a lazy afternoon when I am moving nowhere fast. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts when making risotto, so grab a drink and get ready for your arm workout. 

Serves 4

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter, divided into 2 tablespoon chunks
1 shallot, minced
1 lb asparagus, cut into 1” pieces
8 oz crimini mushrooms*, sliced
2 cups arborio rice
6 1/4 cups stock, chicken or vegetable
salt and pepper
4 oz parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1.  Place broth in large saucepan and heat over medium.  

2.  In a large stock pot melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat, add shallots and cook for 1 minute, stirring so shallots don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

3. Add asparagus and cook for 2 minutes stirring occasionally, remove from pan and set aside.  

4. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in your stock pot and add half of the mushrooms, making sure they can lay flat and not be crowded. Cook for two minutes and flip. Repeat this for the remaining mushrooms.  

5.  Add arborio rice to the stock pot and stir to coat rice with butter, stir in shallots and asparagus. 

6. Add one ladle of the stock, stir util stock has been absorbed. Repeat this step until all of the stock has been absorbed by the arborio rice.

7. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir in parmesan cheese. 

Pro Tip:

*Mushrooms go by many names. Crimini mushroom are also known as baby portobello, Roman, brown mushrooms or “Baby Bella” as the creativity marking wizards of the food industry have recently dubbed them. Don’t be bummed if you grocery doesn’t have the type of mushroom you need its probably hiding in plain sight under an alias.