Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients

• About 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 3 Tbsp water)
• 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed, tips cut off, tough skins of the spears peeled (if working with thick apparatus spears), and the spears cut into thin disks
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat the stock: Heat the stock in a small saucepan until it comes to a low simmer.
2. Cook shallots in butter to soften, then add rice: In a separate 3 or 4 quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon butter on medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for a minute or two, until translucent. Add the arborio rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until nicely coated.
3. Add the white wine: Add the white wine. Slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine.
4. Add the stock, 1/2 cup at a time, adding only after the previous addition has been absorbed by the rice: Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of hot stock to the rice. Continue to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments. Stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
   Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 20-25 minutes.
5. Add the asparagus: With the last ladle of stock, add the asparagus. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes, until the risotto has absorbed the stock, but is still loose, and the asparagus are just cooked through.
6. Stir in the Parmesan, remaining butter, add salt, pepper: Turn off the heat. Gently stir in the Parmesan cheese and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.