Asparagus Risotto

Risotto. Risotto is a bitch. I won't lie. It's intensive, must be coddled the entire time you're cooking, and can pretty much serve as the best reminder you'll ever have as to why you shouldn't go back to your clingy, but gorgeous ex-girlfriend from college. The results, however, can be pure ecstasy if all is done correctly. (Also like your clingy, but gorgeous ex from college. Great metaphor.)

So, you're going to need calming music to help you get through this process. I thought a mixture of Wilco, The Album Leaf, and Joseph Arthur would do nicely.

http://8tracks.com/ihla/bring-it-down

For the risotto you will need:

1 cup arborio rice

1 lb. Peruvian asparagus, chopped

1/2 Vidalia sweet onion, chopped

1 cup of fresh grated parmesan

2-3 tbsp. butter or butter substitute

Extra virgin olive oil

About 6-8 cups of chicken broth/ stock (This generally equals out to 3/4 of a box of broth...)

You should start by cooking the vegetables first. This isn't a time sucking procedure, but you're going to be too busy with your risotto to do anything else once you start it.

Rinse, peel, and chop half of a sweet Vidalia onion, and add it to a shallow skillet. Rinse and chop your asparagus into 1/2 inch to an inch pieces. Add those pieces to your onion in the skillet, and drizzle the mixture with olive oil. Saute the mixture for about 15 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent and the asparagus takes on a bright, vivid green. Turn the heat off, and set the mixture to the side. You will add it with the last of your chicken broth to your risotto.

And, now, we come to the risotto. Deep breaths, you should be at "Honey and the Moon" by now. Start by melting the butter over medium heat in a deep skillet. Add your arborio rice, mix, and brown for about 10 minutes with constant stirring so you don't burn the rice. Turn down your stove to about medium low, and add 1/2 cup of chicken broth (it should be warm, or, at the very least, room temperature) and stir consistently until the broth is almost fully taken up by the rice. That's the trick with risotto, you never want it to be completely dry, but you also don't want to overwhelm the rice with liquid, either. Repeat this procedure until the risotto has taken on a creamy consistency and the rice itself is al dente. Add a 1/4 cup of chicken broth with your vegetables to the risotto, mix well, and turn the heat off. Add 1 cup of fresh grated parmesan to the risotto, mix well, and serve. You now have a perfectly respectable side dish.

Depending on what you use for a main dish (i.e., your meat) you can go either way with wine pairings. I generally pair this side dish with chicken marsala, so I go for a red zinfandel (7 Deadly Zins is out of control amazing). It's a bit heady, but the flavors remain bold and pop nicely.