Spring Risotto

Cooking Light April 2011, p. 184

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

1 ¾ cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice

1 cup frozen shelled edamame

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ cup 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1ounce shaved Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Add asparagus, and cook for 2 minutes. Drain. Bring 2 cups water and chicken broth to simmer in a saucepan.

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil, and swirl to coat. Add onion; cook 4 minutes. 

I had to make a couple of ingredient substitutions for this thanks to the skimpy shelves at grocery stores at the moment: sushi rice for arborio rice (it worked quite well!) and (regrettably) canned asparagus for fresh.

Add garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in rice, edamame, and salt; cook for 1 minute. Stir in 1 cup broth mixture; cook for 4 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, ½ cup at a time, stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed before adding more (about 20 minutes total).

Stir in asparagus, cream cheese, and pepper; cook 1 minute. 

The cream cheese gives everything a wonderful texture.

Spoon 1 cup risotto into each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese; sprinkle evenly with thyme.

Served with some cabbage and apple sauteed with butter and caraway seeds.

My Rating: 4/5 "Wonderful texture, and great variety of flavors. The pepper is actually what sells this - it'd be pretty bland without it, but instead it has a nice kick. The cream cheese adds so much texture that my husband thought I had made cheesy rice (and I guess I kind of did). What a nice excuse to eat edamame!"