Champagne Risotto With Peppers And Asparagus Recipes

RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Peel the bottom third of the asparagus stalks with a vegetable peeler. Snap each stalk where it breaks naturally; reserve 4 of the peeled bottoms for crostini (below). Thinly slice 6 asparagus bottoms and place the rest of the bottoms in a saucepan with 8 cups water and the thyme to make asparagus broth; bring to a simmer.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until glossy, about 1 minute. Add 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Stir in 1/2 cup of the asparagus broth until absorbed (use a ladle to add the broth, keeping the solids in the pan). Continue to add broth in 1/2-cup increments, stirring constantly and allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding more, about 10 minutes. (You should have about half the broth left.) Stir in the sliced asparagus bottoms and the lemon zest. Add the remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, until the rice is just tender, 5 to 8 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the asparagus tips in a large skillet, cover with water and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-high heat until just tender, about 5 minutes.
• Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the parmesan and lemon juice to the risotto. Stir in the lettuce, remove from the heat and season with salt. Divide among bowls, top with the robiola and season with pepper. Drizzle the asparagus tips with olive oil and spoon over the risotto.

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.

SAUSAGE AND ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups lightly salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. With tongs, remove the asparagus and set aside to cool. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the asparagus cooking water cool to warm.
• In a deep, 14-inch nonstick saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over high heat. Cook the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned but not yet crisp. Set aside in a bowl to cool.
• Pour the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil into the pan, keep the heat high and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits of meat from the bottom. When the oil is hot, add the shallot, reduce the heat to medium-high and saute until softened. Add the rice to the pan and cook, stirring well, until the rice begins frying, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the wine, stir well and cook for 3 to 4 minutes to let it reduce slightly.
• Reduce the heat to medium low, add the cheese rind and slowly start adding the asparagus water in 4- to 6-ounce ladlefuls, stirring constantly and giving the rice time to absorb the liquid before adding another ladleful. Cook until the rice is nearly al dente, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Chop the asparagus into 1-inch pieces and add them to the rice along with the sausage meat and any juices that have collected in the bowl. Season the risotto with salt and pepper and continue cooking, adding asparagus water if necessary to keep the liquid level balanced, until the water is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 2 minutes.
• Serve with a sprinkle of parsley, a dash of Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.

CHAMPAGNE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Place slices of prosciutto on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake until prosciutto slices are almost completely crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Reserve for garnish.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Blanch the asparagus in the stock for 2 minutes. Remove asparagus with a slotted spoon. Set asparagus aside and keep stock at a low simmer.
• In another medium saucepan, melt 1 Tbsp of butter. Add shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more.
• Add Champagne to rice and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total.
• Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the asparagus, remaining butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Spoon the risotto into serving dishes and garnish by breaking the crisp prosciutto pieces into smaller pieces over the top of the risotto.
• Serve immediately.

FLOUNDER, RED PEPPER CREAM, AND ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Pour oil into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Arrange fish over oil, folding the ends under the middle to create little pockets. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Roast for 5 minutes. Add asparagus to dish and roast for 5 to 7 minutes longer. Remove from oven and keep fish warm. Remove asparagus and reserve.
• Prepare risotto mix according to package directions, and add asparagus. Meanwhile, puree roasted peppers and alfredo sauce in a blender; transfer to a small saucepan and let simmer. Serve fish topped with sauce and accompanied by asparagus risotto. Garnish with fresh basil sprigs.

CHAMPAGNE RISOTTO WITH SCALLOPS

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions; sauté 1 minute. Add rice; sauté 2 minutes. Add Champagne; simmer until almost all liquid evaporates, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add 1 can broth; simmer until rice is almost tender, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Add scallops; simmer until scallops are cooked through and rice is tender but still firm to bite and mixture is creamy, adding more broth if too thick and stirring often, about 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

ROASTED RED PEPPER AND ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• 1. Preheat broiler to high. Cut bell peppers in half and discard seeds and membranes. Place skin sides up on baking sheet. Flatten with hand. Combine asparagus with 1 tbsp oil. Add to baking sheet. Broil 5 minutes. remove asparagus. Broil pepper an additional 5 minutes until blackened. Place peppers in a paper bag and close tightly. Let stand 10 minutes. Peel and chop peppers and mix with asparagus and lemon zest and set aside.
• 2. Bring broth, water and chicken bouillon to a boil and reduce to low to keep warm.
• 3. Heat a large saucepan to hot and add oil. When oil is hot add onion and saute a couple of minutes. Add shallots and saute 1 minute. Add garlic and salt cook 30 seconds. Add rice and cook 1 minute. Add champagne and cook until almost all evaporated.
• 4. Remove 1/4 cup broth and mix with goat cheese and set aside.
• 5. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time stirring until absorbed and rice is cooked.
• 6. Stir in Asparagus and red pepper mixture. Add goat cheese mixture and heat through.

RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Trim the asparagus and steam until al dente. Cool and cut into three-quarter-inch pieces.
• In a large heavy skillet or casserole, saute the shallots with the peppers in butter and oil until the shallots are translucent. Add the rice and cook, stirring, so that it is thoroughly coated. Add the asparagus, saute for a minute. Add a cupful of hot stock and cook, stirring continually, until the rice has absorbed the liquid.
• Add salt and pepper to taste and half a cup of broth. Continue stirring so that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan, and add more broth, half a cup at a time, until the rice is cooked. It is done when it is al dente.
• Stir in the cheese, correct seasoning, sprinkle with chives and serve.

BARLEY RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Cut top third of each asparagus stalk diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices, reserving tips and slices together, then coarsely chop remainder. Bring water (5 1/2 cups) and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan, then add chopped asparagus and cook, uncovered, until very tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a food processor (not a blender, which would require adding liquid).
• Add reserved asparagus tips and slices to boiling water and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to a sieve, reserving cooking liquid in pan, and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well and reserve in another bowl.
• Measure cooking liquid and, if necessary, add enough water to bring total to 4 cups, then reserve.
• Cook onion with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt in oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add barley and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Add wine and boil, stirring, until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute.
• Add 4 cups reserved asparagus-cooking liquid and bring to a boil, covered, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender (it should be chewy) and mixture is thickened to a stewlike consistency, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mince garlic and mash to a paste with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt using side of a large heavy knife, then add to asparagus in food processor along with zest and purée until smooth.
• When barley is cooked, stir in asparagus purée, asparagus-tip mixture, and enough additional water to thin to desired consistency and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until hot, about 1 minute. Stir in cheese, then season with salt and pepper. Serve with hazelnuts and additional cheese on the side.

RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS AND PROSCIUTTO

Steps:

• Cut the asparagus into pieces two inches long, keeping the tips separate from the stalks. Bring the chicken stock to simmer and cook the stalks until tender. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add tips and repeat process.
• Heat the oil and two tablespoons butter in a skillet and gently soften the shallots with the prosciutto. Season with salt and pepper and add the rice. Stir with a wooden spoon to coat the grains. Let the rice cook three to four minutes, stirring so that it absorbs the butter and turns opaque.
• Add the wine, stir, and then add the saffron.
• Add the hot stock a ladle at a time, and cook the rice, stirring. Keep stirring and adding stock for about 20 minutes. The rice will absorb the liquid. Make sure the stock is being absorbed and that there is not much liquid on top. The bottom of the pan should be clean.
• Start testing the rice. It is done when it is al dente. You may not need to use all the stock or you may need to add a little hot water. Be careful not to overcook the rice.
• Just before the risotto is ready, stir in the asparagus to heat through. Stir in the remaining butter but do not return to the heat. Add the cheese, spoon the rice onto individual heated plates and sprinkle with extra cheese and ground pepper.