Sure, spears of asparagus are great as a side hot off the grill, roasted or broiled — I really never tire of it. But asparagus cut into pieces also is a great addition to leafy green or pasta salads, rice salads or stirred into stir-fries.
Today’s recipe for risotto pairs asparagus and fresh lemon. While most risottos typically require continual stirring, this dish is well worth the time. And it really boils down to only 20 minutes or so for the rice to cook before you add the asparagus pieces.
The asparagus is lightly steamed and then added during the last few minutes of cooking just to warm through. Don’t let it cook too much in the risotto or the pieces will become mushy. The final addition of Parmesan cheese is also a good match for asparagus. This dish is best served immediately after making.
Lemon Asparagus Risotto
Makes: 8 (1/2 cup servings)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup diced shallots
1 clove garlic, peeled, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces and lightly steamed
2 Tbsp. fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken broth over medium-low heat while preparing risotto.
In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, stirring until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and rice and continue to stir and cook until rice is lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add wine to rice mixture, stirring constantly until liquid has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add broth to rice, one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly and allowing liquid to absorb completely before adding more broth. This will take about 20 minutes. Add asparagus with the last ladleful of broth. Once liquid is absorbed, remove saucepan from heat. Add lemon juice and zest to risotto and stir to combine. Add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and combine. Serve immediately.
Adapted from www.allrecipes.com by Darlene Zimmerman, MS, RD, and tested by Susan Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
169 calories (21 percent from fat), 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat), 26 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 365 mg sodium, 4 mg cholesterol, 71 mg calcium, 1 g fiber. Food exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.
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