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Asparagus & Mushroom Risotto

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/asparagus_risotto.html

From EatingWell:  May/June 2012

For this deep, rich red-wine mushroom risotto recipe with fresh spring asparagus, we like it best when it’s made with mushroom broth (which you can find in well-stocked supermarkets), but any type of vegetarian broth works.

4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each | Active Time: 1 hour | Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 4 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped shallots
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced
• 1 cup arborio rice
• 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or other full-bodied dry red wine
• 1/2 cup finely shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Bring broth and water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reduce the heat under the liquid to maintain a gentle simmer.
2. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add shallots, garlic and thyme; cook, stirring often, until starting to soften, 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring often, until the wine is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add 1 1/2 cups of the simmering broth and cook, stirring, until it is absorbed. Continue to cook on medium-low, adding broth in 1/2-cup increments, and stirring frequently after each addition, until most of the liquid is absorbed. The risotto is done when all the broth is used and the rice is creamy and just tender, 24 to 28 minutes total.
4. Stir in the reserved asparagus and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese, parsley and pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkled with more cheese and parsley, if desired.

Nutrition

Per serving : 336 Calories; 7 g Fat; 2 g Sat; 4 g Mono; 9 mg Cholesterol; 49 g Carbohydrates; 10 g Protein; 4 g Fiber; 704 mg Sodium; 465 mg Potassium

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 2 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 high fat meat, 1 fat