The Morning After

Risotto Coi Gamberi E Asparagi

Doesn’t that sound yummy? Well, it was. Only a million little things followed the dinner hour that precluded me from sharing. Most notably, DD caught an icky case of the stomach bug and so rather than savoring the perfect combination of shrimp and asparagus, I was doing loads and loads of laundry and clutching my Lysol spray bottle like a weapon to defend my territory.

Risotto doesn’t require as much skill as it does patience. A pinch of confidence helps too. The process is slow, constantly stirring and calls for a bit of intuition to know when and how much liquid to add to the precious beads of rice. Did you know to use a wooden spoon when making risotto or polenta? Metal alters the flavor of the tender substances.

The shrimp merits mentioning. I actually had not planned the risotto dish, but when I was at the fish counter at Whole Foods the monger told me that I should consider the just brought in catch from Florida. The shrimp were the perfect color of pink and so plump I just couldn’t resist. Glad I didn’t.

Risotto with Shrimp & Asparagus

8 oz asparagus
1/3 c finely chopped onion
2 T EVOO
8 oz medium shrimp (31-40 p/lb)
1 ½ c rice (I use Carnaroli)
Freshly ground black pepper

I bought a tasty sea scallop appetizer and a halibut spread from the fish deli at WF. The kids actually loved the halibut appetizer. This is a nice idea to keep in mind for a fun breakfast with bagels. Poor DD, who accompanied me to WF to procure the weeks groceries, slept through the dinner hour. I’ll make her another risotto again very soon.