Just about any evening of the week, you will find me scrambling in the kitchen, opening and shutting cupboard doors, in search of the perfect meal. I try and set a meal plan in the beginning of the week, but the plans always change. Anything labeled as dinner, must come together in less than 30 minutes. I just don’t have time for more than that. Shabbat and Sundays are the exception to the norm.
A couple weeks ago, someone at work boasted that he was making some risotto later that night for his “someone special.” Can’t remember if it was a birthday or a Valentines thing, but the idea of risotto, had me salivating. I picked up some arborio rice, just thinking of diving in to some of that comfort food. Of course, I wasn’t thinking of what actually goes in to making it. The other factor being that the way I want to eat it, is not equal to the way the kids would ever eat it. I put my risotto dreams aside and continued on.
Looking at my dinner options today, I was set on salmon and brussel sprouts, but needed a starch. An almost empty bottle of white wine and a smattering of baby bella mushrooms looked out at me from the fridge wanting to be turned into something tasty. The light bulb clicked and I decided on the risotto.
So it became – asparagus mushroom risotto.
Asparagus Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions onions or shallots (I had 3 good size shallots to use up)
3 or 4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup cream
sliced baby bella mushrooms
chopped asparagus (better to use fresh, I had some frozen that I wanted to use up)
parmesean – be generous with it
salt
pepper – I used the TJ’s lemon pepper grinder – a few generous twists
In a pot, heat the butter and olive. Don’t let it burn. Throw in the onions and garlic. Saute for 3-5 minutes until transluscent. Add in the rice. Let it cook a few minutes. Keep stirring.
Stir in the white wine. Stir. Let the wine get asorbed. Stir in 1/2 cup of the broth. Keep stirring.
Let it get absorbed. You starting to see a theme? Good. Keep stirring.
As the broth gets absorbed, keep stirring and stir in some more broth, bit by bit, until the risotto is done. Stir in the cream. Let it get absorbed.
Shred and stir in the parmesean cheese. Keep stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
About Hindy Garfinkel