Lemon Asparagus Risotto

I am slightly obsessed with Sunset Magazine - it embodies everything I love - cooking, traveling and exploring California and beyond. Every month I read my new issue front to back, several times, and sometimes drool on the pages because the recipes look amazing! Sadly though, I had yet to actually cook one of the dishes...until today! I was not disappointed, and neither will you be when you try this Lemon Asparagus Risotto with peas, prosciutto, parmesan and ricotta. 

Lemon Asparagus Risotto

If you're a vegetarian, don't be scared away! The prosciutto goes on top as the very last step, and adds some nice salt flavor and crunch, but can easily be removed or replaced.

This Lemon Asparagus Risotto makes for a perfect one-dish, summer meal, pairing well with a crisp glass of white wine. For a more elaborate meal or when entertaining guests, I'd recommend serving some delicious cheeses and crackers for an appetizer and a fruit-based, light dessert. And there you have it, the perfect summer dinner party!

Lemon Asparagus Risotto (from Sunset Magazine)

Serves 6

Prep time: 1.5 hours

What you need:

2 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto

1 lb. asparagus

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (we used fat free, low sodium)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup ricotta (Sunset suggests Bellwether Farms but anything will do; skim or whole)

1 cup fresh or (thawed) frozen peas

1/3 cup lemon juice (from 1-2 large lemons)

3 tbsp. unsalted butter (optional)

3 oz. finely shredded parmesan cheese, plus 1 oz. to sprinkle on top

1/2 lb chicken (optional), 1 beaten egg and 2 tbsp bread crumbs for cooking

What to do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Set a rack in a rimmed baking sheet and lay prosciutto slices on rack. The goal here is to let them vent through the rack so they get nice and crispy.

2. Arrange asparagus in a single layer on another baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil or spray with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

3. Bake prosciutto and asparagus until prosciutto is crisp and very light brown, about 8 minutes. Asparagus should bake a bit longer, 12-15 minutes, until it is a bit darker and tender when pricked with the tip of a knife. Remove both from oven and let cool. When cool enough to handle, cut asparagus into 1-in pieces and set aside. Break prosciutto into bit size pieces to top on the risotto as the final step; set aside.

4. (optional) the original recipe didn't call for quite enough meat for our taste, so we added chicken. This can be done by cooking the chicken any way you like, though we dipped 6 chicken tenders in beaten eggs and then rolled in bread crumbs, and then cooked on the stove.

5. Pour all of the chicken broth into a large enough pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.

6. Heat about 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large pot (very large as this will be your main pot in which all remaining ingredients are added) over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until limp but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until edges turn bright white, about 5 minutes. Add wine; bring to a boil and cook until almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.

7. Add one ladleful, about 1/2 cup, of heated broth to rice and cook, stirring, until almost completely absorbed by the rice. Continue adding 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until each addition is absorbed before adding the next, until rice is tender enough to your liking. You will likely have a small amount of broth left over. This will take 15-30 minutes and you will need to constantly tend to it so as not to let it go dry before adding the next round of broth.

8. Stir in mint, ricotta and lemon juice and stir until most of the lemon juice is absorbed. Add butter (I didn't add butter but it will add even more creamy texture if you don't care about the extra fat!) and shredded cheese; stir until well mixed. Stir in asparagus and peas.

9. Serve risotto, top with prosciutto crisps and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy!