Lemon and Chive Risotto with Asparagus

“Hey Amanda!  What are you doing making warm, comforting risotto in the middle of June?!” you ask.  Well, I say why let the weather dictate when we can or should enjoy some of the foods we love (within reason).  If you want risotto in June or ice cream in January, you should have it!   Asparagus will soon be out of the farmer’s market-or at least will jump up in price!-so let’s have one last run of it with this creamy lemon and chive risotto.The backbone of the recipe is a lemon-Parmesan broth, made from lemon peel and old Parm rinds.  If you’re not saving your Parm rinds when you get to the end, what are you even doing?!  That’s a goldmine of flavor right there.  Throw them in the freezer and save them for soups, stews, stocks or anything that simmers for awhile and deserves a boost of cheesy umami flavor.

Risotto is such a great recipe to have in your back pocket because it’s mostly made of pantry ingredients.  If you keep Italian rice, like Arborio or Carnaroli, on hand, you can pretty much make risotto anytime!  I always have rice, Parmesan and stock/broth on hand and I almost always have lemons and white wine so this risotto is only 35-ish minutes away at any time.  You can throw anything you want in risotto, from vegetables to proteins to cheese, so it’s a great clean-out-the-fridge meal. This would be great with seared scallops on top or with lump crabmeat stirred in if you want to make it a full meal for dinner or a dinner party.  People think risotto is fancy, but little do they know it only takes a few ingredients, a little time and patience, and a lot of stirring to put this creamy risotto on the table!

Lemon and Chive Risotto with Asparagus

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• Author: Amanda
• Yield: 4 servings

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Description

Creamy risotto with lemon, chives and asparagus is the perfect, clean-out-the-fridge meal.  Throw whatever vegetables, protein or cheese in and you’re on your way to a comforting dinner in 35 minutes or less!

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Ingredients

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LEMON-PARMESAN BROTH:

• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• Small handful of parsley with stems
• Zest of 3 lemons, removed in thick strips with a vegetable peeler
• 3 large rinds of Parmesan cheese
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

RISOTTO:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 1-1/2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons mascarpone, at room temperature
• 1/2 pound asparagus, ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

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Instructions

1. To make the Lemon-Parmesan Broth: Combine the thyme, parsley, lemon zest, Parmesan rinds and bay leaf in a medium saucepan.  Cover with 5 cups water.  Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer; continue to simmer for 20 minutes, skimming the surface if it gets foamy.  Strain the liquids into a large measuring cup or mixing bowl, discarding the solids.  Return the broth to medium-low heat while the risotto cooks.
2. To make the risotto: Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat.  Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the shallot with a pinch of salt and cook until the shallot is softened, about 3 minutes.  Add the rice and stir to coat in the oil; cook until the rice turns translucent, about 2 minutes.  Add the white wine and cook, stirring often, until the wine has been almost completely absorbed.  Add 1 cup of the warm lemon-Parmesan broth at a time and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has been almost absorbed.  Continue adding 1 cup of broth at a time, stirring frequently, until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, about 25 minutes in total.
3. While the risotto cooks, preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil.  Add the asparagus pieces and season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the asparagus is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat.
4. Once the risotto is cooked through, stir in the asparagus, chives, Parmesan, and mascarpone cheese.  Drizzle with a little more olive oil to serve.

Notes

Inspiration: Lemon and Chive Risotto on foodnetwork.com

• Category: Rice & Grains