Asparagus and Pine Nut Risotto

By Steve Bedosky, Colleton River resident Kristen Donahue's brother

Introduction: 
This recipe is 25+ years in the making! 
The key to this dish is regulating the heat to the sweet spot. That is-- hot enough to keep the rice cooking but not so hot that it starts to stick to the bottom. You can tell that it is correct when you see creamy streaks of broth on the bottom of the pot while stirring. Feel free to substitute the asparagus for mushrooms and prosciutto, or whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients:
  • 4 or 5 cloves of garlic chopped
  • 1 large onion diced coarse
  • 30 or so stalks of asparagus. Pencil thickness works best. Cut into 1” sections. Discard the woody sections.
  • 1 red bell pepper ¼’ dice (roast the red pepper and peel off skin for more robust flavor). Can use jarred roasted bell pepper if short on time.
  • 1 1/2 cup Arborio rice (aka Risotto rice)
  • ½ - ¾ cups pine nuts. Buy them fresh. Nuts are optional if concerned about nut allergies...........but they really add to this dish.
  • ¾ cup dry vermouth (can substitute dry white wine like chardonnay)
  • 2 quarts good chicken stock (Prefer Kirkland’s Organic. Also, like Emeril’s or Swanson’s. Don’t get Pacifica)
  • Good quality imported Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (grate half a cup or more to taste)
  • Half stick of unsalted butter (leave out on counter to allow it to get soft)
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • Chopped basil ¾ cup (divided)
  • Chopped parsley ¼ cup (add as garnish at end)

Instructions:
  1. Put broth in smaller pot. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Broth needs to be hot when you add it to the risotto. Start this 15 minutes before you are ready to cook.
  2. Prepare all chopped ingredients before you start.
  3. Melt ¼ stick butter and ¼ cup EVOO in large pot on medium heat.
  4. Add onions and peppers and sauté until onions are translucent (about 8 minutes)
  5. Add garlic and stir briefly until garlic releases flavor but does not to brown (1 or 2 minutes)
  6. Add rice and stir continuously for 1 -2 minutes (edges of rice will change from white to
    translucent). Watch heat. You don’t want the rice to stick to pot.
  7. Add vermouth and stir until absorbed by rice. (This is your only opportunity to stick your head in
    the pot and get a good snort of the vermouth and garlic vapors……..it is heavenly!)
  8. Start adding hot stock one ladle at a time. Keep stirring to keep rice from sticking. This is critical. If you walk away, the rice will turn to paste. Mixture should be bubbling gently but not boiling or sticking.
  9. After about 10 minutes of adding broth, add the asparagus and several ladles of broth to keep mixture wet but not soupy.
  10. Continue adding broth one ladle at a time until the rice loses its crunch.  You may have left over broth or need to supplement with some hot water. This is not an exact science.
  11. Once the risotto is no longer crunchy, stir in half of the basil and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Note that cheese will add saltiness to the dish so I usually under-season with salt at this stage.
  12. Stir in remaining butter, and parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust salt again.
  13. Toast the pine nuts on a sheet pan at 350 degrees until they turn caramel colored. Stir once to keep from burning on bottom. Do this about 5 minutes before the risotto is done. Add pine nuts after butter and cheese.
  14. Serve on a large warm platter. Add chopped parsley and other half of basil on top. Grate more cheese on top if you like.
  15. Serve immediately. Good risotto waits for no one!

Have a recipe you love and know everyone else will? Please email it to colleton.content@n2co.com to be featured in a future article!

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