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I love to incorporate good seasonal produce in my dishes.  There is nothing better than fresh fruits and vegetables to make a dish stand out!  Risotto is one of those meals that is set to impress, and so very tasty when cooked properly.  I wanted incorporate some of the amazing in season asparagus that is at the market right now, and adding a little lemony touch with shrimp made for the perfect well planned out dish for dinner!

When I teach cooking classes, I am always telling my students how important it is to start with high quality tools in the kitchen, and good ingredients.  If you have those two things going for you, then you are much more likely to find success in the kitchen!  I have been loving my new Calphalon Signature™ Stainless Steel 12″ Omelette Pan I picked up at Macy’s, you can find them in-store or online.  The neat thing about this pan is that is made with high quality five layers of metal, that helps keep the heat even and precise.  It quickly responds to temperature changes, and it has such a durable surface.  I really loved the results, and it performed so well while making this Risotto recipe!

Like I said, this Risotto recipe is so fresh, and flavorful!  It is one of my favorite dishes that I love to make for special occasions, because it is always a show stopper, sophisticated, and a lovely presentation for guests.

You start out by dicing up one small onion, and sautéing it in the 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt.

Next, you’ll want to bring your chicken broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Then, wash and trim the woody ends of the fresh asparagus, and cut the asparagus into 1 inch pieces.  Add the cut asparagus to the boiling broth and water, and simmer uncovered until just tender, about four minutes.  Then, quickly transfer the asparagus with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to blanche the asparagus, and stop the cooking process keeping the asparagus nice and bright green.  After the asparagus cools down, drain the water, and set it aside. Keep the remaining broth, and return it to the stovetop and keep it over low heat at a bare simmer covered.

After the onions have sweat, and soften for about five minutes, add the arborio rice, and toast it in the onions and butter for about one minute.  Next, add the white wine, and stir until it has been fully absorbed into the rice.

Next up, is the process that will take the longest with Risotto.
Stir in 1/2 cup of broth mixture and briskly simmer, stirring frequently, until completely absorbed (that’s the key). Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed completely before adding the next, until rice is creamy and tender but still al dente, it can take from 20 minutes plus to get to al dente.  (There may leftover broth mixture, or not enough. Have some extra on hand just in case)

Stir in the raw shrimp and cook until just cooked through and turns pink, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in asparagus, lemon zest and juice (pro tips below!), remaining 2 tablespoons butter, parmesan, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with some flat leaf parsley, parmesan cheese, and a little lemon zest!

Perfect Risotto Recipe with Lemon Shrimp and Asparagus
Serves 4

Ingredients
6 cups good quality chicken broth
2 cups water
3/4 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided into two 2 tablespoon pieces
1 1/4 cups Arborio Italian Risotto Rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (see below for tips and tricks on how to de-seed and juice a lemon)
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

Bring broth and water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add cut asparagus and simmer, uncovered, until just tender, about 4 minutes. Transfer asparagus with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop cooking, then drain. Keep broth at a bare simmer, covered.

Cook onion in 2 tablespoons butter with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a Calphalon Signature™ Stainless Steel 12″ Omelette Pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed.

Stir in 1/2 cup broth mixture and briskly simmer, stirring frequently, until absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and letting each addition be absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy and tender but still al dente, it can take from 20 minutes plus to get to al dente.  (There may leftover broth mixture, or not enough. Have some extra on hand just in case)

Stir in the raw shrimp and cook until just cooked through and turn pink, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in cooked asparagus, lemon zest, lemon juice, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, parmesan cheese, parsley, and salt (if necessary) and pepper to taste. (Thin risotto with some of remaining broth if necessary).

What a beautiful, and equally amazing tasting dish!  I hope you give it a try next time you are in the mood to cook up something special in your kitchen!

Enjoy!

Pro Tips and Tricks:  How to Zest, De-seed, and Extract Juice from a Lemon

When zesting a lemon, you want to make sure to wash your lemon, then grab a microplane, and lightly zest the lemon using the microplane grater.  You want to make sure to only take off the top layer or the yellow portion of the zest, and not the bitter white pith.

Here is a super quick and easy way to de-seed, and extract juice from a lemon without having to deal with those pesky lemon seeds in your food.

Step One: Cut off the top and the bottom
Step Two: Cut the lemon into quarters
Step Three: Set the lemon at an angle, and cut off the seeds, scraping any remaining seeds.

Step Four: Squeeze the fresh lemon juice into a bowl.

The fresh lemon juice and zest added that perfect lemony touch to the Risotto dish!

A well thought out dish that is layered with flavor and amazing fresh ingredients always shines, and if you have the right tools, it is the perfect equation for an outstanding meal!

The new Calphalon Signature™ Stainless Steel 12″ Omelette Pan has been a great addition to my kitchen, and the performance of the pan was just outstanding!  You can find it at Macy’s in the home goods/ kitchen department, online at Macy’s.

So, tell me what is your favorite Spring dish to make?