Risotto cogli Asparagi e Zafferano

When prepared well, risotti differentiate themselves from other cuisines’ rice dishes by delivering both overall creaminess and granular firmness. This unique texture comes from the varieties of rice used, varieties—such as Arborio, Carnaroli, and Vialone Nano—which release emulsifying starch as they cook without disintegrating into mush. Among these varieties, there are slight differences: Vialone Nano, for example, makes a more al dente risotto, while our preferred Carnaroli makes a creamier one. Our preferred brands are discussed on the Ingredients page. Homemade chicken broth makes a huge difference in the taste over store-bought. The peas and chopped parsley are recent additions and I might try mint at some point. You could turn this into a vegan dish by using vegetable broth, vegan butter, and no cheese (or imitation cheese).

Generous pinch of saffron threads

1 cup (237g/mL) hot water

1 bunch fresh asparagus (thinner are better)

4 oz (113g) fresh peas

4 Tbsp chopped parsley (no stems)

6 cups (1500g) chicken broth (homemade is strongly preferred, otherwise unsalted)

1 cup (237g/mL) dry white wine

1 chopped shallot or ½ medium chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup (55g) extra-virgin olive oil

2 ½ cups (450g) Carnaroli (or Vialone Nano or Arborio) rice

1 cup (100g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

3 Tbsp (42g) butter

Salt, to taste

  

 

1.     Place saffron threads into small bowl and add the hot water. Use a whisk to help break up the threads. Don’t worry about the threads fully dissolving yet—that will happen later. You want enough saffron to make the water medium yellow, not super bright yellow.

2.     Remove and discard the tough bottom ends of the asparagus spears. I use the quick bend-and-snap method rather than peeling away woody stems.

3.     Boil asparagus spears in chicken broth until they are about 70% cooked. Remove them and cut into pieces about 1 inch long. Set aside.

4.   In a pot or pan, toast the rice over medium-high heat until they are a little translucent and slightly gray, stirring continually. You don't want them to get brown. The purpose of this step is to seal in the starches, give the rice a slightly richer and nuttier taste profile, and to help the rice cook more uniformly in the broth. Many Italian cooks insist on this step. I'm not convinced that it makes any noticeable difference, but I do it anyway because it's easy.

5.     In a heavy pot over medium-low heat, sauté shallot/onion in olive oil until it begins to look transparent. This can be done in parallel with cooking the asparagus and toasting the rice, but I normally just do it in the same enamel cast-iron pot after I toast the rice (I dump the toasted rice into a bowl temporarily).

6.     Add toasted rice and wine and cook over medium-high heat until most of the wine is cooked away, stirring as you go. This is called deglazing. I like to use a large flat-edged spatula to stir the rice because it can scrape the bottom of the pot better than a rounded wooden spoon can. You don't have to wait until every bit of wine is cooked away, and definitely don't want to burn the rice.

7.     Add the saffron water to the pot of rice and stir until it has been absorbed.

8.   Add enough hot broth to just barely cover the risotto (see second photo below). Cook, stirring (nearly) constantly.  Continue adding broth, one ladleful at a time. Keep the rice mostly submerged in broth the whole time, otherwise the risotto will come out too dry.

Note: The cooking time from this point to completion varies based on the rice used (the variety and its age), but you’re probably looking at 15 minutes more. The risotto is done when you’ve reached the desired creaminess and the individual grains are tender yet al dente.

9.     About 5 minutes into the ladling/stirring process, add the peas and chopped parsley.

10.  About 10 minutes into the ladling/stirring process, add the asparagus pieces. Around this time, start tasting for salt, especially if you used unsalted broth. With homemade broth, I normally do not need to add any salt. As you season, however, remember that the cheese will also add a salty flavor.

11.  As you get closer to the end, be sure not to add too much liquid. You don't want the final risotto to be too soupy.

12.     When you think the risotto is almost done, stir in the cheese and butter, but not any more broth.  Then let 30-40% of the remaining liquid evaporate.

13.     Remove from heat, do NOT stir, and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes. It will absorb the remaining liquid and make the risotto moister.

14.   Remove the cover and give it a good stir. Some people will add a ladleful of broth before putting the cover on. I don’t do that because I feel that there is already plenty of liquid since I had been cooking it submerged for almost the entire time.

 

(rice after being toasted)