By Bonnie S. Benwick

Published: Tuesday, May 15, 2012, 2:56 p.m.
Updated: Wednesday, May 16, 2012

This dish is rich-tasting and just right for working in the slender, new asparagus of the season.

Serve with a salad of peppery greens. Adapted from "The Naptime Chef: Fitting Great Food Into Family Life," by Kelsey Banfield (Running Press, 2012).

Brown Butter Asparagus Risotto

• Water

• 4 cups no-salt-added homemade or store-bought chicken broth

• 1 pound asparagus, preferably of equal thinness

• 1 medium-size yellow onion

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked arborio rice

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)

• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

• Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Bring a wide pot of water to a boil over high heat. Heat the broth in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Trim the asparagus by breaking off the tough ends (where they break naturally). Finely chop the onion to yield about 1 cup. Add the asparagus to the water and cook for about 3 minutes, until barely tender. Drain and cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces.

Heat 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. It will bubble and turn golden brown, smelling nutty. Keep the butter moving in the pan so its solids don't burn. Add the onion and stir to coat; cook for 4 or 5 minutes until it is softened and on its way to translucent.

Stir in the rice, then carefully pour in the wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Ladle 1/2 cup-increments of the hot broth into the pan, cooking and stirring each time until it is absorbed before adding the next. Use all the broth. The rice should be tender and creamy. Taste and season with salt if needed (keeping in mind that cheese will be added). Remove from the heat.

Stir in the cheese and the remaining tablespoon of butter, until the latter is completely incorporated. Gently stir in the asparagus pieces, then season with pepper to taste.

Divide among wide, shallow bowls. Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition information per serving: 540 calories, 20 grams fat (12 grams saturated), 75 milligrams cholesterol, 15 grams protein, 69 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams dietary fiber, 330 milligrams sodium

1. Polling stations may be changed for some voters
2. Kovacevic: It doesn’t have to be this hard
3. Steelers rookie moves on after PSU scandal
4. Penguins blow late lead, fall to Senators in 2OT
5. MPIAA holds annual 100-inning softball game
6. Steelers might be looking at a youth movement in 2013
7. Women take action to improve Kinloch park
8. Alvarez blast propels Pirates past Astros
9. Goalie Anderson stands tall in Senators’ victory over Penguins
10. Facial recognition technology moving toward identifying almost anyone
11. Hundreds of races, but light turnout expected for primary in Westmoreland

There are currently no comments for this story.
Subscribe today! Click here for our subscription offers.