Anniversary Risotto

I whipped up this recipe to celebrate our big five months. We have a new love for risotto. Love it's creamy texture, due to the high starch content in the Italian Arborio rice. I added plenty of veggies to make this a meal in itself. You can substitute any veggies, I often use asparagus, and proscuitto on top is also really tasty. I always play around with what I add, but the basic format is always the same.

Anniversary Risotto

3 cups reduced sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup broccoli florets, cut small,
or 12 spears of asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup red bell pepper, diced
3/4 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 onion
1/2 toasted pine nuts
3/4 cup Arborio rice
3/4 cup champagne or dry white wine
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbs. butter
Extra virgin olive oil

In a medium saucepan, bring stock to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Blanch the broccoli or asparagus in the broth for about 2 minutes. Remove vegetable and set aside, keeping broth at a low simmer. In another medium saucepan, melt the butter and add the onion and red pepper and cook a minute or so. Then add the mushrooms and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat in the butter. Toast the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 more minutes. Add the champagne or wine and simmer, stirring, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth, and stir until liquid is almost completely absorbed, around 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice with this method- adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and cook and stir til it is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. This should result in a creamy texture and the rice should be tender to the bite, around 20 minutes total. Remove from the heat and add the broccoli, asparagus, or whatever vegetable you have prepared. Stir in Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Garnish with a crostini, the toasted pine nuts, and a few shavings of fresh Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.

* If you agree with me and wonder why the crostini looks bizarre in this photo... We are very into this Balsamic Garlic Olive Oil combo.