Asparagus Risotto
I'm not a food snob; really, I'm not. But I do have standards and I think many times, it's interpreted as food snobbery.
I was never formally taught how to cook by any one specific family member. As a member of the family, I was expected to help out, which usually meant running down to the basement to grab a bottle of wine or some pasta, setting the table, and doing dishes...lots and lots of dishes. But no matter where we were--whether at home in Maryland or at my relatives apartments in Italy--we all congregated in the kitchen. And I was always ready to help. I know...a kid who likes to help? But I loved it, especially when I got to help in my great-aunts' kitchens in Rome. Their kitchens are no bigger than a large walk-in closet, galley-style, with appliances half the size of American ones, minimal cupboard space and even less counter space. But I'd nestle into a corner and sit in a chair or a stool and do whatever task they would give me, just so I could be part of the action and see how they cooked.
I've only realized more recently just how much I learned by watching and listening to my aunts. They talked very seriously about the ingredients they used--which open market vendor they bought their produce from, which butcher shop gave them the best cut of meat, which bakery sold them the day's bread, which deli provided them with their prosciutto, salame, mortadella and cheeses. I grew up unknowingly learning to have respect and reverence for the ingredients you use in your cooking and to have a set of standards by which you judge those ingredients.
So, it's only natural that when I cook, I apply what I've learned from my great-aunts. I feel so lucky to know how to choose good-quality ingredients for the recipes I make. But sometimes, I will admit, I have been known to get a little touchy when it comes to the ingredients I've seen people use in Italian dishes. Take risotto, for example. I've been eating risotto all my life and have watched many family members make it countless times, with seasonal ingredients added to a basic risotto base. The base ingredients hardly ever change--Arborio rice, broth, salt, pepper, wine and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Imagine my horror when I once saw someone add cream cheese to risotto at the end of cooking it "to make it creamy", they said. This was outright food heresy! I knew that not only does cream cheese not belong in risotto, I also knew that if one makes risotto correctly, it will become creamy from the slow release of starch from the rice cooking. And then I heard her. My inner food snob. Just when I thought she didn't exist, she rears her petite, coiffed head, nose in the air, impatiently huffing, Doesn't everyone know this?
I often forget that I'm kind of an anomaly when it comes to some of the knowledge I've garnered from my visits with my Roman great-aunts. I fall into the trap of thinking that what I know is common knowledge. Inevitably, I'm reminded that this is not the case when I'm talking about a particular food or cooking method and the listener's eyes glaze over or they start looking at me like I have two heads. Then I remember that the most rewarding thing about cooking is not only in the learning, but in the sharing of knowledge. How can there possibly be room for food snobbery? So, although I will concede that I do have a small (and mostly dormant) food snob living inside of me, I promise to keep her out of the kitchen, because no matter how big or small she may be, there's just no room for her in it.
A few tips on making risotto
Adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan and Lidia's Family Table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich
Use a large, heavy saute pan or Dutch oven (10-12-inches in diameter) to cook the risotto in order to allow for steady evaporation and even cooking of the rice. Enameled cast iron or heavy-gauge stainless steel work best.
Have all of your components prepped and cooked before you begin making the risotto. Read the recipe from start to finish before beginning to make sure you have everything you need on hand.
Have your broth warming in a small pot on the stovetop before you start the risotto. It should never come to a boil; keep the pot of broth on very low heat on a burner next to the pan in which you will make the risotto.
Make sure you use a wine you would drink and serve with a meal.
Plan to stay at the stovetop for at least 30 minutes when making risotto. It requires constant attention and stirring to produce the correct results.
Be careful not to overcook the rice. It should not be soft through the center. Rather, it should be tender, but still firm--al dente. Begin tasting the rice after about 20 minutes of cooking to determine if additional cooking is needed.
The amount of broth you use to cook the risotto will vary. The general ratio is three and a half times the amount of rice being used, so plan to have that quantity of broth available.
Risotto is "finished" with either butter or olive oil (not cream cheese!). This is known as mantecare in Italian. Olive oil is best suited for seafood and some vegetable risotti, while butter complements meat and mushroom risotti. Neither ingredient should be used in an excessive amount to finish your risotto.
Asparagus Risotto
Recipe adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan and Lidia's Family Table by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich
1 pound fresh asparagus
Kosher salt
6-7 cups beef broth
1 T. unsalted butter
4 T. extra virgin olive oil oil, divided
2 T. yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1 cup white wine
1/2 tsp. black pepper, freshly grated
1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated
Prepare the asparagus by cutting off about 1 inch of the bottom stalks. Carefully peel away any thick outer layers of each stalk. Rinse well in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Prepare a large bowl of ice water and set next to the stovetop.
Select a pan large enough to hold all the asparagus lying flat. Fill the pan with enough cold water to come up the sides by about 2 inches. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and bring the water to a boil. Slip in the asparagus and cook on medium heat until they are crisp-tender. Transfer the cooked asparagus to the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove the asparagus to a plate or sheet pan and gently pat dry. Do not discard the asparagus cooking liquid.
Cut about 1 1/2 inches of the asparagus tips off and set aside. Cut the remainder of the spears into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.
Mix the broth with the reserved asparagus cooking liquid to make approximately 6-7 cups and bring it to a very slow simmer.
In a large saute pan or Dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cook until it is translucent. Add the chopped asparagus spears (but not the tips) and cook for about 1 minute, coating the asparagus well with the butter and oil.
Next, add the rice to the asparagus/onion mixture, stirring thoroughly to coat all the rice in the butter and oil. Cook for about 3 minutes and adjust the heat if necessary. You will start to hear a "clicking" sound as the rice begins to toast. Be careful not to scorch the rice--it should not take on any color, but you will see the edges becoming translucent.
Pour in the wine and cook for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Stir the rice constantly, making sure to scrape the sides of the pan, until the wine has evaporated.
Add enough of the hot broth to barely cover the rice (about 1-2 cups) and stir constantly, scraping down the sides of the pan. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir well to incorporate. Lower the heat if necessary--the rice mixture should be bubbling gently. Stir constantly as the risotto absorbs the broth and thickens. Continue adding the broth in 1-2 cup increments, letting it evaporate between additions, until the rice kernels are al dente.
Once the risotto is cooked and the last of the liquid has been absorbed, turn off the heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in the freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the black pepper and serve.
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