Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto
I adapted this recipe from a dish I had at Olive Garden. It is a perfect creamy comfort food and perfect for a cold winter night.
I adapted this recipe from a dish I had at Olive Garden. It is a perfect creamy comfort food and perfect for a cold winter night.
- 1 salt
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 pound fresh or frozen asparagus tough ends removed and cut into one inch pieces
- cooking liquid combined with chicken broth to make
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- 2 cups arborio rice
- black pepper fresh-cracked
- 0.25 cup parmigiano-reggiano cheese grated
- 12 large shrimp peeled & deveined
- Carbohydrate 97.2226975 g
- Cholesterol 83.215 mg
- Fat 30.355595 g
- Fiber 6.08877483320236 g
- Protein 17.1100275 g
- Saturated Fat 13.712495 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (288g)
- Sodium 255.427 mg
- Sugar 91.1339226667977 g
- Trans Fat 1.8302315 g
- Calories 731 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook asparagus in large pan filled with about 2 inches of water (asparagus should fit in one layer across bottom of pan), covered, about 5 minutes. Remove asparagus (reserve water) and rinse with cool water to prevent further cooking.
- Cook shrimp in seperate pan with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt and pepper. Shrimp is done when pink all the way through. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Pour cooking water into large pot and add enough broth to make at least 7-8 cups of liquid. Keep water simmering over low heat, as you'll be adding this to the rice throughout its cooking.
- In large heavy pot, add 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons olive oil and minced onion. Cook onion until nearly translucent over medium-high heat. Add rice, stirring quickly. Add 1/2 cups simmering broth and cook, stirring constantly, until water is absorbed. Repeat process till rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
- Final consistency should be creamy and the rice tender but slightly firm at the center. Turn off heat and stir in asparagus, shrimp, pepper, 2 TB butter and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately.
The ingredient list leaves out how starch mechanics dictate the success of this dish; Arborio rice requires continuous agitation to shear surface starch granules into the simmering broth, creating the signature glossy emulsion without heavy cream. Because starch bonds break down rapidly once cooling begins, maintain your simmering broth at 190 degrees Fahrenheit in a separate vessel so the rice temperature never drops during the twenty-minute addition phase.
- Pair this rich grain dish with a high-acid, bone-dry Sauvignon Blanc or a crisp Pinot Grigio to cut through the thirty grams of fat per serving.
- Serve a bright, un-dressed arugula salad alongside the bowls to introduce peppery bitterness that balances the sweetness of the shrimp.
- Swap the Parmigiano-Reggiano with a hard vegan cheese substitute at a 1:1 ratio if managing dairy restrictions, though texture will thin slightly due to differing milk proteins.
- Blanch the asparagus precisely for five minutes, then shock it in ice water to halt chlorophyll degradation and preserve the vibrant green cellular structure.
- Sauté the shrimp in olive oil over medium-high heat for approximately ninety seconds per side until internal temperatures reach 145 degrees Fahrenheit, preventing rubbery protein fibers.
Balanced acidity on the side prevents palate fatigue from the dense dairy and starch. Proper resting ensures every grain retains an al dente bite at its core.
