Champagne Risotto with Leeks and Asparagus

We've been really busy these past couple of weeks. When I went to choose my recipe for today, I realized I had only one recipe in my drafts. Then I discovered I didn't have a picture! I decided to repost one of my favorites, Champagne Risotto with Leeks and Asparagus.

I posted this in my early blogging days when no one was reading my blog, so I don't even think it really counts as a repost. I love this recipe and it's one I've been making for years. Those of you who are leery of risotto, give this recipe a try! You won't be sorry, it's so delicious.


I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!

Pasta, Risotto Style

Do we have a relationship built on trust? I hope so because you will need to trust me on this one. This dish tasted so much better than it looks. I love pasta and risotto. When I ran across this recipe, I knew it was one I had to try. I am so glad I did. It makes a quick and easy weeknight supper.

This recipe has endless posibilities, shrimp instead of chicken, adding broccoli or another vegetable. Broccoli would sure help add color to the dish, something it really needs. Next time I would add the chicken a little earlier. By the time the chicken was done, the pasta was a little too done. Although this recipe says it serves 4. My husband and I ate most of it. Also, it doesn't reheat well, so plan your amounts so you don't have lefovers.




Pasta With Chicken and Mushrooms, Risotto Style
Recipe from the New York Times

2 tablespoons olive oil, more as needed
1 shallot or small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups crimini, shiitake or button mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced
1/2 pound cut pasta like gemelli or penne, or long pasta broken into bits
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or water
3 to 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 boneless chicken thighs, diced
Chopped fresh parsley, optional
Freshly grated Parmesan, optional.

1. Put 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When hot, add shallot, garlic and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms soften and begin to brown on edges, about 10 minutes. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy and coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Add a little salt and pepper, then wine. Stir and let liquid bubble away.

2. Ladle stock into skillet 1/2 cup or so at a time, stirring after each addition and every minute or so. When liquid is just about evaporated, add more. Mixture should be neither soupy nor dry. Keep heat at medium and stir frequently.

3. Begin tasting pasta 10 minutes after you add it; you want it to be tender but with a tiny bit of crunch. When pasta is about 3 to 4 minutes away from being done, add chicken and stir to combine. Continue to cook until chicken is done — it will be white on inside when cut — and pasta is how you like it. Taste, adjust seasoning, garnish with parsley and Parmesan if using, and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

Butternut Squash Risotto

It's a cold winter night in Nebraska. We received another 3 1/2 inches of snow overnight, making our grand total around 20 inches. Cold winter nights just beg for comfort food. Risotto is a delicious comfort food. Many people are intimidated by risotto. I took a risotto class years ago and have always had good results.

I think the most challenging thing about this risotto was chopping up the butternut squash. When is that knife skills class anyway? I thought I would never finish chopping this squash. AFTER, I finished chopping up the squash, I searched for helpful hints. There's a great post over at Simply Recipes. If only, I had read it BEFORE I chopped the squash.

I found this recipe at Bay Area Bites. The only change I made was to use shallots instead of onion. This risotto has a beautiful creamy texture and a wonderful slight cinnamon flavor. It went well with our Bourbon Apple Pork Loin.


Butternut Squash Risotto
Serves: 10-12

1/2 small butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
16 oz chicken broth
1 shallot, diced
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
1 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated ginger
1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
Olive oil for roasting and finishing

Roast the Butternut Squash
Preheat oven to 450°F with the rack in the middle.
Microwave the entire squash for 3-4 minutes so that it's easier to cut through. Halve squash lengthwise and discard seeds.
Peel and cut into 1-inch dice. Place in a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.. Bake the squash, stirring the diced pieces occasionally, until tender and browned lightly, 20-25 minutes. Set aside.

In a saucepan bring broth to a simmer and keep at a bare simmer.
In a large pot melt the butter and add onion, carrot, garlic, and ginger. Cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Stir in rice and let it toast a bit, stirring constantly, about 1 minute.
Add wine and cook, stirring, until absorbed. Stir in the broth ¼ cup at a time, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Keep the risotto at a simmer throughout. Continue simmering, stirring, and adding broth, letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until about half of broth has been added. Stir in diced squash, honey, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and continue simmering and adding broth in same manner until rice is tender and creamy-looking but still slightly al dente, about 20-25 minutes. Stir in the grated Parmigiano and combine.
Spoon risotto into serving bowls and garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and a few curls of Parmigiano using a vegetable peeler.

Champagne Risotto with Leeks and Asparagus

Nine years ago, along with several of my girlfriends, I took a cooking class on Risotto. I'd always wanted to learn to make risotto but was reluctant because all I ever heard was how difficult it was to make.

If someone were to ask me if risotto is difficult to make, I would say it is not. However, I do feel it is one of those dishes that takes time and TLC. For me, risotto is total comfort food. In traditional Italian restaurants, risotto is served prior to the main course. I prefer to serve it as the main course. This particular risotto recipe is meatless which for some, like my husband, disqualifies it as a main dish.

The key to great risotto is the rice. Superfino Arborio is what is used most often to make excellent risotto. It has the longest, fattest grain, the characteristic white kernel in the centerand a capacity to absorb liquid.

Choose a heavy pot with a stainless steel interior. The pot should have sides at least 4" high with a surface area that is not too wide, which would cause the liquid to evaporate too quickly. Assemble all of your ingredients ahead of time so you can tend to the pot as the risotto cooks. Your liquid should be heated to a simmer prior to starting your risotto.

Champagne Risotto with Leeks and Asparagus

1 pound asparagus. Trim ends. Cut into thirds.
(I prefer to cut the aspargus into smaller pices)
2 leeks.
(Cut the leeks just below the dark green part. A leek has a lot of layers on the inside. These layers have sandy grit and dirt between them. You have to wash a leek well. If you are going to cut the leaks into rings or small strips, do that first, and then put them in a bowl of cool water.)
1 shallot, peeled and chopped.
6 Tablespoons butter, olive oil can be substituted but butter is preferred.
1 quart of Chicken Stock
1/2 bottle of Champagne
2 cups arborio rice
Salt, Pepper
1/2 cup - 1 cup parmesano reggiano, freshly grated

1. Heat stock and 1/2 bottle of champagne in a separate pot. When simmering, begin the risotto.
2. In the saucepan you are using for the risotto, saute shallots and leeks in 3 Tablespoons butter until opaque and bright green. Approximately 3 minutes.
3. Add rice and continue to saute for 3 minutes. Stirring frequently.
4. Begin adding stock, 1 ladle at a time. Stirring frequently. When liquid is almost all absorbed, add the next ladle of stock. (Correct heat is very important in making risotto. It should be very lively but if it is too hot the liquid will evaporate too quickly and the rice won't cook evenly.)
5. Continue this process until the rice is al dente and most of the stock is incorporated. This will take about 20 - 25 minutes. Stir when adding each ladle of sauce.
6. Add asparagus pieces. Taste. Adjust seasonings and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Asparagus should be just tender and bright green.
(I always feel that it needs salt)
7. Rice should be creamy and soft in texture and al dente.
8. Finish with remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and parmesano.
9. Stir and serve immediately.

Risotto cannot be prepared ahead of time. It cannot be reheated. I make risotto cakes out of my leftovers. I flour my hands and make small risotto cakes. I dip the cakes in an egg wash and then flour. Heat olive oil in a skillet, cook the cakes until golden brown and hot.