As rustic as an elegant risotto can be, I makes it!

I mean, I love the creamy, cheesy, buttery, morsels that make up a decent risotto. How can one not? It has only been about four years now that I have been eating this creamy rice dish and I wonder how I could have been missing out. I dated an Italian girl for 10 years, some moons ago, and I never manged to have risotto. Well, maybe I did and just thought it was a deliciously creamy rice dish.

Naturally, there is a bit of work in preparing risotto, but as many of you know, it really is worth the effort. Beck has no issue with being my sous chef when it comes to handling the rice side to a meal, except when it comes to risotto. Then, I am on my own. I don’t mind though. I have made it so many times now that it is almost instinctive. I don’t even baby sit the pot anymore. I can actually multi-task during the twenty minute stir-fest.

I do wonder how, on Hell’s Kitchen, that Gordon Ramsey reality show filled with expletive beeps, the contestants have so much trouble making a decently cooked pot of this rice. Theirs is even parboiled! They should be able to push out a creamy, cheesy, pot of goodness in about 3-4 minutes. But alas, they under cook it, they overcook it, they outright ruin it.

Just like pasta, we want it al dente, and when it is creamy, we want to add all of the real caloric goodness; a pat of Plugra, 3/4 cup of grated Pecorino cheese, and maybe, just maybe, a splash of cream.

I decided to jazz up a wild mushroom risotto with some fresh asparagus, fresh sugar snap peas, and fennel. I have done risotto a bunch of different ways; with shrimp and lobster, saffron and chorizo, butternut squash and pumpkin seeds, and just plain, but this version is definitely one of my super favs!

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I am partial to carnaroli rice for my risotto. I also use arborio because it is available at my local mega mart. I do think there is something special about the carnaroli though. I did find that it is a bit easier to screw up carnaroli whereas arborio is more forgiving.

Make this:

About 1 1/2 cups assorted mushrooms. I used baby bella, shitake, and oyster
3/4 cup fennel diced
1/4 cup asparagus cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium sized shallot minced
1/4 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup grated pecorino cheese
1 cup carnaroli rice (baldo or arborio will work as well)
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
2 cloved garlic minced
2 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp Plugra (or regular unsalted butter)
salt to taste

METHOD:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees-f.

In a large pot, pour chicken broth and bring to a simmer.

Put asparagus in a packet made of foil and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil.

Put foil packet on a jelly roll pan and oven roast asparagus for 10-12 minutes.

Remove and set aside.

In a sauce pan over medium high heat, add olive oil.

Add mushrooms and cook for about 4 minutes.

Add shallot, garlic, fennel, and pinch of salt. Saute for another 4-5 minutes.

Add rice and toss to coat.

Allow rice to cook for about a minute.

Add wine and stir in.

When liquid has been absorbed by rice, add a ladle of stock.

Continue adding stock when liquid is absorbed and stirring - about 20 minutes.

When rice is creamy and al dente, add butter, cheese, peas, and asparagus.

When peas are warmed through, plate.