CHEESY RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS AND BACON
Risotto is an excellent vehicle for cheese. It has a reputation for being fussy, but it really only requires about 25 minutes of your patience and attention. Put on an episode of something in the background (as long as it’s not too distracting) and your stirring shift will fly by!
A few handy tips and tricks will help you master this Northern Italian staple in no time, and once you have the base risotto recipe down, it's easy to play around with—to celebrate spring, we cast asparagus as the star of this dish, backed up by slow-cured bacon and funky, savory Whitney.
INGREDIENTS
For the Risotto:
4 tablespoons butter, divided (2 for sautéing, 2 for finishing)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium white onion
2 cloves of garlic
1½ cups Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano rice
1 cup dry white wine
8-10 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
12 ounces Whitney or Alpha Tolman (or 6oz each!), finely grated (easier when cold)
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper
For the Asparagus:
6 ounces Babette’s Table bacon
1 large shallot
¾ to 1 pound fresh asparagus (about one large or two small bunches)
A splash of white wine
Salt to taste
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
Chef’s knife + cutting board
Medium pot or saucepan — for simmering stock
Large frying pan — for bacon and asparagus
Wide, deep saucepan — for risotto
Medium bowl
Ladle
Slotted spoon
2 wooden spoons; a silicone spatula is also great for stirring the risotto
INSTRUCTIONS
Note: if you’ve not made risotto before, we recommend cooking the asparagus portion first and setting it aside so that you can focus solely on the risotto next. If you’re feeling confident, you can prepare the bacon and asparagus alongside the risotto. We recommend warming your plates/bowls in your oven on the lowest setting as you cook — serving the risotto in a cold dish will cause it to thicken quickly and it will lose its creamy quality.
Start by putting your stock on to simmer.
As the stock is heating up: chop your onion and mince your garlic for the risotto and set aside. Dice your bacon, mince your shallot, and cut your asparagus into bite-sized pieces. Grate your cheese.
In your frying pan over medium heat, cook the bacon to your desired level of crispiness. Remove the bacon bits to a medium bowl using a slotted spoon. Pour or spoon off about half of the bacon fat from the pan and reserve for future use.
Add the minced shallot to the pan, stirring to coat with the bacon fat, and cook until slightly softened. Add the asparagus along with a pinch of salt, stirring to coat again, and sauté until just tender. Pour in a splash of white wine (about ¼ cup) and stir to deglaze. Cook for another moment until the liquid has just evaporated. Add the cooked asparagus to the bowl of bacon and toss to mix. Reserve for later.
In your risotto pan, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with the olive oil then add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt; stir to coat. When the onion begins to soften and become translucent, before any browning has occurred, add enough water to just cover them. This will allow the onions to become melt-in-your-mouth soft without caramelizing. Stir the onions often as they cook.
After a few minutes, the water will have evaporated and you’ll hear the onions begin to sizzle again. Add your rice to the pan and stir to coat evenly. Keep stirring for about 5 minutes, until the grains are translucent around the edges. A pro tip from Bon Appetít: you’ve arrived when the rice starts to make a ‘glassy, clattering sound’ as it hits the sides of your pan.
Pour in the wine and another pinch of salt, stirring occasionally, until the wine has completely evaporated (2-3 minutes). Add one ladleful of stock (about ¾ cup), stirring constantly until fully absorbed. This should take 2-3 minutes. If it takes much longer, turn the heat up a bit; if it happens too quickly, turn it down a little.
Keep adding stock in ¾ cup increments, continuing to stir constantly and allowing each addition to absorb before the next. After about 15 minutes of this, check the rice: the grains should be ‘al dente’ — tender with a slightly firm center, but not so firm that they leave a lingering gritty texture. The grains should be separate, not clumped, and suspended in creamy, starchy liquid. Add stock if necessary to thin out the mixture.
Remove the pot from heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Gradually add your grated cheese, reserving about a third of it. The liquid around the rice should become creamy and remain fluid. Stir in more stock if necessary— you want the risotto to slowly pool out as you ladle it onto a plate or into a shallow bowl, and it will tighten up a little as it cools. You probably won’t need to add any salt, but give it another taste and adjust if necessary before serving.
Serve in wide, shallow bowls or large plates (ideally pre-warmed). Top each serving with equal amounts of the asparagus mixture, sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese, and finish with a grind or two of black pepper. Enjoy right away!
