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Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

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Yield: 4 Servings
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt / Serious Eats

Turning a classic mushroom risotto into a mushroom and asparagus risotto is as easy as it sounds: just add asparagus. The only key is to add that asparagus right at the end for the best flavor and texture.
A touch of soy sauce and miso paste brings out the rich, savory character of the mushrooms.
Washing the rice with the stock creates a starchy liquid that delivers maximum thickening power during cooking, resulting in a creamier final dish.

  • 1½cups (about 13 ½ oz) risotto-style rice (see note)
  • 1quart low-sodium homemade or store-bought chicken stock
  • 1cup white wine (optional; can be replaced with additional broth)
  • 2TBS butter, plus more for finishing, if desired
  • 2TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2medium cloves garlic, grated on a Microplane (about 2 tsp)
  • 2small shallots, finely minced (about 2 TBS)
  • ¾cup heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks
  • 3oz finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Chopped herbs or other garnishes, as desired


Combine rice, chicken stock, and wine in a large bowl. Agitate rice with fingers or a whisk to release starch. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer set in a 2-quart liquid cup measure or another large bowl. Allow to drain 5 minutes, stirring rice occasionally.

Heat butter and oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until foaming subsides. Add rice and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until all liquid has evaporated, fat is bubbling, and rice has begun to take on a golden blond color and nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and shallots and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 1 minute. Give reserved broth a good stir and pour all but 1 cup over rice. Increase heat to high and heat until simmering. Stir rice once, cover, and reduce heat to lowest possible setting.

Cook rice for 10 minutes, undisturbed. Stir once, shake pan gently to redistribute rice, cover, and continue cooking until liquid is mostly absorbed and rice is tender with just a faint bite, about 10 minutes longer.

Remove lid and add final cup of stock. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring and shaking rice constantly, until risotto is thick and creamy. Off heat, fold in heavy cream and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir in herbs as desired. Serve immediately on hot plates.

Sautéed Mixed Vegetables

Sautéed Mixed Vegetables

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Yield: 4 Servings (double or half to suite)
Scott Nowell

This is a simple sauté for mixed vegetables. You can substitute about any vegetables you like here. Asparagus and Pea Pods both work well. Harder vegetables like carrots will need a little blanching before you start. Add other seasonings to suit the rest of the meal. Try a few red pepper flakes or some minced garlic added when the cover is removed, and the sauté time starts.  That’s easily enough for 4 in the photo above.

  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1onion, sliced (red is nice for this)
  • 4-8oz mushrooms, thick sliced
  • 8oz green beans, trimmed.
  • 1/2cup water
  • salt and black pepper
  • grated parmigiana cheese, optional

Put olive oil in a cold 10- to 12-inch sauté pan. Turn heat to medium high. Add vegetables and water. Cover and heat over medium high heat for 8 minutes. Most of the water should boil off.

Remove cover, sauté 3-5 more minutes, tossing occasionally.

Season with salt and pepper. Option: sprinkle with a little parmigiana

Note:  If using medium to large asparagus, cut off the bottom 2 to 3 inches and peel the next two inches. If using pea pods, remove the string along the spine of the pods.

Israeli Couscous x2

Israeli Couscous x2

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Toasted Israeli Couscous w- Pine Nuts And Parsley

Yield: 2-3 Servings
Adapted from Epicurious

August 2016: Great side dish. Two warnings: Don’t burn the pine nuts (been there, done that) and don’t burn the couscous. If you don’t know, couscous is pasta. Israeli or Pearl couscous is the size of BB’s.

  • 2TBS butter, divided
  • ⅓cup pine nuts (pignoli nuts), toasted
  • ⅓cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1½cups Israeli couscous, toasted
  • ½large cinnamon stick
  • 1fresh or dried bay leaf
  • 14oz canned low-salt chicken broth
  • ½tsp salt
  • ¼cup minced fresh Italian parsley
  • black pepper

Toast the pine nuts. You can do this on a small tray in a toaster oven, or in a small saute pan. In either method, shake them a couple of times during cooking so they brown evenly. Watch them carefully and don’t burn them. They go from a nice brown to burnt in an instant. If you burn them, discard and start over.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 2 quart sauce pan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes.

Add couscous, cinnamon stick, the bay leaf and stir until couscous browns slightly, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Pay careful attention as both the couscour and shallots will burn if you give them a chance.

Add the broth and salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until couscous is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Stir in parsley and pine nuts. Season with black pepper. Transfer to serving dish.

Israeli Couscous

with Asparagus, Peas, And Sugar Snaps

Yield: 6 Servings
Jeanne Thiel Kelley / Bon Appetit

August 2016: Another variation with vegetables added.

  • 4TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2TBS fresh lemon juice
  • 2large garlic cloves, minced, divided
  • ½tsp finely grated lemon peel
  • 1⅓cups Israeli couscous (6 to 7 oz)
  • 1¾cups (or more) vegetable broth
  • 14oz slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut diagonally into ¾-inch pieces (about 2 ½ cups)
  • 8oz sugar snap peas, trimmed, cut diagonally into ½-inch pieces (about 2 ½ cups)
  • 1cup shelled fresh green peas or frozen, thawed
  • ⅓cup chopped fresh chives
  • ½cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Whisk 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, and lemon peel in small bowl; set dressing aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add couscous, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until most of couscous is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups broth, increase heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 10 minutes, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls if too dry.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add asparagus, sugar snap peas, green peas, and remaining garlic clove. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to large bowl.

Add couscous to bowl with vegetables. Drizzle dressing over. Add chives and cheese; toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Red Onion, Endive and Asparagus

Red Onion, Endive and Asparagus

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Yield: 4 servings
Jacques Pépin

Circa 2000: A simple but sophisticated dish to accompany chicken or chops.

  • 2medium red onions
  • 2Belgian endives
  • 8-12asparagus spears
  • olive oil

Julienne the onions and endive. Keep the endive in lemon water while waiting for cooking. Cut 2 inches from bottom of asparagus and lightly peal the next 2 inches. Blanch the asparagus for a couple of minutes in boiling water. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add red onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add drained endive and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add asparagus and sauté for another 1-2 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve.

Cheesy Asparagus Tart

Cheesy Asparagus Tart

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Yield: 4 – 6 servings
http://12tomatoes.com/rc-elegant-asparagus-tart/

March 2016: I found this posted on Facebook and it looked wonderful. It’s fairly simple to make and tastes great.

  • 1(17.3 oz) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 1½lb asparagus, bottom 3-4 inches peeled.
  • 3cups assorted cheese, grated (2½ cups Swiss, ½ cup parmesan)
  • 2TBS honey Dijon mustard
  • 1TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-2tsp balsamic vinegar, optional
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • Hollandaise sauce, garnish


Preheat oven to 400º F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Take both sheets of thawed puff pastry and place them on lined baking sheet, overlapping them by 1 inch and pressing the seam gently to seal.

Use a paring knife to score a rectangle border 1 inch from the edge of pastry, then take a fork and pierce the dough all around the inside of the rectangle. (This allows steam to be released so the center of your tart doesn’t puff up, while the outside edges do.)

Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and lightly puffed up.

Remove from oven and let cool 2-3 minutes, then brush honey Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar onto the center of puff pastry. Evenly sprinkle assorted cheeses over the center of tart.

Take your asparagus and trim the ends so they fit into the center rectangle of tart. Lay asparagus out in a single layer, alternating the direction ot the tips with each row, then brush with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

Return baking sheet to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and edges are puffed up, and asparagusis tender.

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes, then drizzle with hollandaise sauce, slice.