fresh asparagus, crispy prosciutto, fresh lemon, and creamy mascarpone tucked inside creamy risotto is the perfect cozy dinner this season. asparagus risotto | a flavor journal food blog
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lay the prosciutto flat onto the parchment paper, keeping space between each slice. Bake for 12-14 minutes until crisp. Let it cool until you're ready to add to the risotto!
For Lemon Asparagus Risotto ::
In a small saucepan, pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Turn heat to low, cover, and keep warm as you start everything else.
In a large sauté pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt, and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir arborio rice into the onions, and cook until only a tiny white dot remains in the center of each grain of rice, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in white wine until evaporated, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir one ladle of the warm chicken broth into the rice until it is mostly absorbed. Add another ladle of chicken broth, again stirring until the broth is mostly absorbed. Repeat, stirring continuously, until the rice develops a creamy texture. This will take about 30-35 minutes total.
Once the rice is al dente, or has just a slight bite to it, stir in the chopped asparagus. Mix the asparagus into the risotto to evenly distribute it, and cook for about 4-5 minutes until asparagus is slightly softened.
Stir in mascarpone and butter until fully blended into the risotto. Use a pepper grinder to freshly crack black pepper into the risotto, and stir to mix it in.
Squeeze in fresh lemon juice, and stir to combine. Taste, and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Divide the risotto into bowls, and crumble the crispy prosciutto over the top of the risotto. Serve immediately!
Notes
*Asparagus can differ greatly in size! For larger asparagus, only use about five stalks. For thin asparagus, use closer to ten. But you can adjust the amount based upon your preference, too!