When Gary cooks...

Gary and I have decided to split days on cooking. I'll cook 3 days, he cooks 3 days and twice a month we eat out. This was thoughtfully thought after opening my refrigerator/freezer/pantry and realizing we have food to feed the tribe of Jim and Michelle Duggard. Lol.

I know I'm just talking for talking, but we DO have a lot of food and it's only Gary and I here... it's not that we have tons of people coming to eat here, or friends to 'party' with.

Last night it was Gary's night to cook, and he made a delicious Asparagus Risotto.

For those of you who like cooking and are interested in the recipe, here it goes (it was found on about.com and if you want the link to it, just click on the name of the risotto):

Ingredients:

• 1pound (500 g) asparagus
• 1/2 a small onion, finely sliced
• 1 1/2 cups (300 g) short-grained rice along the lines of Arborio
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, or: 1/4 cup olive oil + 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup dry white wine, warmed
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano
• The water the asparagus was cooked in, topped off with beef broth or vegetable bouillon to make 1 quart, simmering
• Salt and white pepper

Preparation:

Clean and boil the asparagus for a few minutes (use an asparagus pot if you have one), or until a fork easily penetrates the tip of a spear. Use tongs to remove the asparagus from the water. Trim the tips from the stalks and set them aside. Cut the remaining green part of the stalks into one-inch lengths and set them aside too. Return the white ends of the stocks to the pot, along with the broth or bullion.

Sauté the onion in half the butter or the oil, and when it's translucent, remove it to a plate with a slotted spoon. Next, stir in the rice and sauté, stirring, until the grains have turned translucent, 5-7 minutes. Stir in the warmed wine and cook until it has evaporated. Then add the one-inch lengths of green asparagus stem to the rice, and begin stirring in the liquid, a ladle full at a time. Should a white stem find its way into the pot, remove it. Continue adding liquid, and when the rice is almost done, stir in half the reserved tips. Check seasoning and continue cooking the rice till it's al dente. Turn off the heat and stir in the remaining butter and half the grated cheese. Let the risotto stand covered for two minutes, then transfer it to a serving dish and garnish it with the remaining tips. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheese over it and serve.

The wine? Asparagus works best with whites, and I would go for a Roero Arneis, or perhaps a Lugana.

I wish he'd done MORE coz it was DELICIOUS!!!! He also added some zucchini, and it gave the risotto a really tasty taste. I loved it!!!

If you ever cook it, let me know how it went. :)