Risotto is one of my favorite recipes; though not a recipe I make often. Mostly because it does take a little extra effort to prepare – effort I typically do not have after 5:00pm. I have frozen risotto before but, in my opinion, it does not taste as creamy and delectable as when it is freshly prepared. It was still edible and good but not what I look forward to when I eat risotto.
The idea for this recipe was conceived when I noticed leftover goat cheese sitting in the corner of my refrigerator along with a bunch of asparagus I meant to use last week. I could not wait to start putting this recipe together because next to lemon I am obsessed with the flavor of goat cheese.
The result of this recipe was high class – meaning if you closed your eyes you would think you were chowing down in a fancy restaurant. It was creamy with a little tang from the goat cheese and a nice crunch from the asparagus. Oh my!
If you never made risotto before you might find it a little tricky because you have to regularly stir and add broth till it gets to the consistency you want. Although, I must tell you I had to break up a few sibling arguments while I prepared this recipe and it still turned out great. So, yes you need to pay closer attention to this recipe, more so than others, but it is not going to fall apart if you walk away for a second or two.
I encourage you to try it especially if you are looking for a romantic fancy dinner for just you and the hubs.
Risotto with Goat Cheese and Asparagus Recipe
Risotto with Goat Cheese and Asparagus
Servings size: 1 ½ cups
Servings: 5
Approximate nutritional information:
Calories: 363 * Carbs: 52 * Fat: 13 * Protein: 13 * Fiber: 2 * Points +: 10 * Old Points: 8
Ingredients:
1 bunch of fresh asparagus, washed with ends trimmed and cut into 1 – 1 ½ inch pieces.
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken stock (32 ounces or 1 QT)
1 ½ cup Arborio rice
¼ – ⅓ cup goat cheese
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
juice of ½ lemon
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon fresh pepper
Directions:
1. In a large pan over medium to high heat saute asparagus in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until just tender but still a little crisp, 5-8 minutes. Set aside.
2. In a medium to large saucepan saute onions in the other 2 tablespoons of olive oil until just translucent, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes or until the garlic becomes fragrant.
3. Add the rice and coat with the onions, garllic, and olive oil. Cook for about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add in broth ½ cup at a time. Stir consistently and make sure the broth is absorbed into the rice before adding more. The rice when it is done will be creamy with a little bit of a bite to it. The whole process takes around 20 – 25 minutes.
5. Stir in goat cheese, parmesan, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until goat cheese is melted. Start with ¼ cup of goat cheese then give it a taste. If you want more goat cheese flavor then add the rest.
6. Stir in the asparagus and serve.
This recipe is not recommended for freezer cooking but you can prep the asparagus, onions, and garlic ahead of time to shorten preparation time. Honestly, this recipe is so good you won’t even care about the extra love it takes to whip this together.
Enjoy!
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