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Creamy Morel Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

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A creamy, flavorful risotto featuring earthy morel mushrooms and fresh asparagus, perfect for a comforting yet sophisticated dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (300g) Arborio rice
  • 1 cup (about 50g) fresh morel mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (or ½ cup dried, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes)
  • 1 bunch (about 12 spears) fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup (120ml) dry white wine (optional)
  • 5 cups (1.2 liters) vegetable or chicken broth, kept warm
  • ½ cup (50g) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Prep your ingredients: Clean and slice morels, trim and chop asparagus, finely chop shallots, and mince garlic. If using dried morels, soak them in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain, reserving the soaking liquid.
  2. Warm broth in a separate saucepan and keep it warm on low heat.
  3. Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add morels and cook until tender, about 5–7 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove and set aside.
  4. In the same pan, sauté asparagus until bright green and just tender, about 3–4 minutes. Remove and set aside with mushrooms.
  5. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic, cooking gently until translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes.
  6. Stir in Arborio rice, coating each grain with butter and toasting lightly until edges look translucent, about 2 minutes.
  7. Pour in white wine (if using), stirring until mostly absorbed, about 2 minutes.
  8. Add warm broth gradually, one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding the next. Continue for about 20 minutes until rice is tender but al dente.
  9. Gently fold in sautéed morels and asparagus, stirring carefully to combine, about 3 minutes.
  10. Remove from heat. Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Let the risotto rest for a minute or two to thicken slightly, then serve immediately.

Notes

If risotto becomes too thick, add a splash of warm broth or water to loosen it. Stir frequently to release starch and achieve creaminess. Use fresh, clean morels to avoid grit. Add asparagus near the end to keep it crisp. For dairy-free, substitute butter with vegan margarine and Parmesan with nutritional yeast. Save soaking liquid from dried morels and add to broth for extra flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: morel mushroom risotto, asparagus risotto, creamy risotto, easy dinner, spring recipe, vegetarian risotto, gluten-free risotto

Find it online: https://chrisfeasts.com/creamy-morel-mushroom-and-asparagus-risotto-recipe-easy-perfect-dinner-idea/