Roasted Asparagus Risotto

We snagged this right-now recipe (and the yummy photo) from one of our favorite local-food bloggers, Jennie at Straight From the Farm.

We'll let Jennie describe this awesome dish: "The creamy robust rice is the perfect way to transport asparagus to a whole new level. I found that roasting the pieces first really brought out a caramelized note in the final dish."

1 pound asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup uncooked arborio rice
3 1/2 to 4 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon minced fresh mint
4 ounces goat cheese

Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with foil.

Prepare the asparagus by snapping off the tough ends. Give the spears a rinse and then cut into bite-size pieces. Place the pieces in a bowl of cool water and swish around to remove grit. (Let it sit for a moment so the grit falls to the bottom of the bowl and then remove the asparagus pieces with a slotted spoon.) Pat dry and place on the baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat all pieces and roast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender and beginning to brown. Set roasted asparagus aside.

In a 3- or 4-quart saucepan, heat the butter on medium heat. Add the onion and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Add the rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until nicely coated. While the onion is cooking, bring the stock to a simmer in another saucepan.
Add the wine to the rice. Slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine. Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of stock to the rice.

Continue to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments. Stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Gently stir in the mint, cheese, and roasted asparagus. Season generously with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Learn more: How to contribute your favorite farmers' market recipe