Spring Risotto Topped with Shaved Asparagus #SundayFunday

This weekend the Sunday Funday bloggers are sharing their favorite recipe that use asparagus as an ingredient. This week Stacy is hosting.

Stacy of Food Lust People Love, Rebekah of Making Miracles, Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm, and I coordinate this low-stress group; we only participate when we are inspired. This week, here is the line-up of the recipes from the group...

• Asparagus Farro from A Day in the Life on the Farm

• Asparagus Three Ways from Our Good Life

• Macaroni and Cheese with Asparagus and Prosciutto from Karen's Kitchen Stories

• Shrimp Pasta Primavera from Food Lust People Love

• Spring Risotto Topped with Shaved Asparagus from Culinary Cam (you're here)

• Stir Fried Chickpeas and Asparagus from Amy's Cooking Adventures

Asparagus, the Harbinger of Spring

Asparagus are always the harbinger of Spring for me and you'll always find me making Quick Pickled Asparagus as soon as I start seeing them in the markets. I will be sharing a few other asparagus recipes soon, including a Asparagus-Leek Velouté, Asparagus with Gochujang Sauce, and more.

But, for this event, I decided to make a risotto with asparagus and leeks. The asparagus is soft and tender inside the dish, but I garnished it with shaved raw asparagus on the top for a different texture and fresher flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 organic leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced (approximately 1 cup)

• 2 cups organic asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths

• 3 or 4 stalks of asparagus whole

• 2 Tablespoons butter

• splash of olive oil

• 3 cups arborio rice

• 8 cups liquid (I used a mixture of vegetable stock and chicken stock)

• 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs, finely chopped (I used a mixture of parsley and thyme)

• 4 ounces mascarpone cream

• freshly ground pepper, to taste

• freshly ground salt, to taste

• Also needed: parmigiano reggiano for serving

Procedure

Bring liquid to a boil in a sauce pan, then reduce to a simmer and keep it on a burner adjacent to your risotto pan.

Melt butter in olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan. Stir in the leeks and cook until leeks are translucent and beginning to caramelize. Stir in the arborio rice and toast for 5 to 6 minutes. Add in the asparagus pieces. Then ladle by ladle, add in the stock until it's absorbed. Keep stirring. Repeat until the rice is cooked. If you need more liquid, just add more; if you don't use all of the stock, that's okay, too.

Stir in the mascarpone cream and fresh herbs. Let stand for five minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Use a peeler to shave the whole asparagus into ribbons.

Spoon risotto into individual serving bowls and top with asparagus ribbons. Serve immediately. Let diners grate parmigiano reggiano over the top.

And that's a wrap for my asparagus offering for #SundayFunday. The group will return next week to share recipes in honor of Mothers' Day. Stay tuned!