Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
 Yield: Serves 2-3 as a main course, or 4 as a side

Ingredients

• About 4 cups vegetable stock
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (or 1 Tbsp lemon juice and 3 Tbsp water)
• 1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed, tips cut off, tough skins of the spears peeled (if working with thick apparatus spears), and the spears cut into thin disks
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat the stock in a small saucepan until it comes to a low simmer.
2. In a separate 3 or 4 quart saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon butter on medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for a minute or two, until translucent. Add the arborio rice and cook for 2 minutes more, stirring until nicely coated.
3. Add the white wine. Slowly stir, allowing the rice to absorb the wine. Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of hot stock to the rice. Continue to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments. Stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
4. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 20-25 minutes. With the last ladle of stock, add the asparagus. Turn off the heat.

Note the stock amount given is approximate. You may need a little more or less. If you end up needing more stock and you find yourself without, just use water.

     5.Gently stir in the Parmesan cheese and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.