Asparagus Bacon Risotto Recipes

WILD MUSHROOM AND ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• In an electric kettle or medium saucepan with a lid, combine chicken broth and white wine and heat just to simmering. Keep warm.
• In a large 3 to 4-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sweat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until the grains are translucent around the edges. Be careful not to allow the grains or the onions to brown.
• Reduce the heat to low. Add enough of the wine and chicken stock just to cover the top of the rice. Stir or move the pan often, until the liquid is completely absorbed into rice. Once absorbed, add another amount of liquid just to cover the rice and continue stirring or moving as before. There should be just enough liquid left to repeat 1 more time. It should take approximately 35 to 40 minutes for all of the liquid to be absorbed. After the last addition of liquid has been mostly absorbed, add the mushrooms and asparagus and stir until risotto is creamy and asparagus is heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, lemon zest, and nutmeg. Taste and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• *Cook's Note: If fresh wild mushrooms are not available, reconstituted dried mushrooms can be used instead. Place 2 ounces of dried mushrooms into a bowl and cover with warm water. Allow to sit for about 30 minutes or until all the mushrooms are soft and pliable.

FRIED ASPARAGUS WITH BACON

Steps:

• Cook and stir bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Discard grease.
• Melt butter in the same skillet.
• Cook and stir asparagus and shallot with salt and black pepper in melted butter and bacon. Cover skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until asparagus are tender, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer asparagus mixture to a platter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

BACON RISOTTO

Steps:

• Cook and stir the diced bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon and reserve.
• Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to low to keep the chicken stock hot.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook and stir until the onion begins to turn golden brown at the edges, about 2 minutes. Pour in the rice and stir until the rice is coated in butter and has started to toast, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium; stir in one-third of the hot chicken stock and continue stirring until the rice has absorbed the liquid and turned creamy. Repeat this process twice more, stirring constantly. Stirring in the broth should take 15 to 20 minutes in all. When finished, the rice should be tender, yet slightly firm.
• Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the Parmesan cheese, and the reserved bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

CREAMY ASPARAGUS AND BACON RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a pot over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and drain. Add onion to bacon fat and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes more. Add rice and stir until combined, then add 240ml chicken stock.
• Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until stock is completely absorbed. When it's absorbed, add wine. Stir until fully absorbed, then add remaining stock 240ml at a time until rice is tender and creamy, about 30 minutes. Add asparagus and let cook until tender, 6 minutes.
• Stir in bacon and season generously with salt and pepper.

RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS AND BISON BACON

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place asparagus in single layer in a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake, uncovered, for 8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Cool slightly. Cut into bite-size pieces; set aside.
• Melt butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Cook onion in hot butter for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Add rice. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Carefully stir in broth and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes (do not lift lid).
• Meanwhile, cook bison bacon, 1/2 at a time, over medium heat in a large skillet for 5 to 6 minutes per batch or until crisp, turning occasionally. If necessary, drain on paper towels. Transfer to a cutting board. Cool slightly; chop into bite-size pieces.
• Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in asparagus. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in bison bacon pieces and Parmesan cheese.

EASY RISOTTO WITH BACON & PEAS

Steps:

• Finely chop 1 onion. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and a knob of butter in a pan, add the onions and fry until lightly browned (about 7 minutes).
• Add 6 chopped rashers streaky bacon and fry for a further 5 minutes, until it starts to crisp.
• Add 300g risotto rice and 1l hot vegetable stock, and bring to the boil. Stir well, then reduce the heat and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes until the rice is almost tender.
• Stir in 100g frozen peas, add a little salt and pepper and cook for a further 3 minutes, until the peas are cooked.
• Serve sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan and freshly ground black pepper.

ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• Snap the woody ends off the asparagus stalks and tip them into a saucepan with the stock. Put on a low heat to very gently simmer. Meanwhile, cut off the tips of the asparagus, add to the stock for exactly 1 min. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Finely slice the rest of the stalks into rounds.
• Heat the oil and half the butter in a heavy, wide pan. Cook the onions gently for 5 mins until soft, stirring often. Add the chopped asparagus stalks and cook for 2 mins more. Add the rice and continously stir for a few minutes until it turns semi-transparent and makes a hissing sound.
• Stir in the wine, if using - it will evaporate almost immediately. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring between each addition until it is absorbed, about 15 mins.
• Try the rice - it should feel just cooked with a slight bite to it. Stir in the asparagus tips and any last dregs of stock and cook for 1 or 2 mins more. Remove from the heat and top with the remaining butter and most of the parmesan. Season generously, cover and leave for a few minutes to settle.
• Give the risotto a thorough stir to incorporate the butter and cheese and serve straight away with the remaining parmesan for sprinkling over.

FROZEN ASPARAGUS RISOTTO WITH BACON

Steps:

• Take a deep breath and say "Risotta-making is NOT difficult.".
• Cut asparagus into 3/4" pieces. Set aside.
• In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, saute the onion and bacon in 2 T butter for 3 minutes over medium heat.
• Increase to high heat, add wine and reduce to half (about 3 minutes).
• Add rice, salt and pepper and continue stirring on high for 1 minute.
• Add 2 c of the hot chicken stock, lid the pan and turn off the heat.
• Go walk your dog, call your girlfriend, write that chapter in your novel. It can sit there until roughly 10-15 minutes before dinner is served.
• When you return, reheat the broth and crank up the heat on the rice.
• Stir, stir, stir, adding a cup of hot broth everytime it starts to look a bit dry.
• Sample a bit: does it seem a bit chewy but almost ready?.
• If so, add the asparagus and stir until heated through, about 2 minutes.
• Sample again. Ready? Remove from heat and add 1 T butter and cheese.