Ingredients
- 50 g olive oil
- 156 g diced onion
- 397 g Arborio rice
- 1361 g to 1588g chicken stock
- 3 or 4 threads saffron (optional)
- 1 pound asparagus (cut into 2" pieces, bottoms discarded)
- 113 g fresh or frozen green peas
- 57 g grated Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Step 1
Heat the oil in a deep pan set over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
Remove the onion (leaving the oil), add the rice, and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring constantly, until the rice is translucent. At the same time bring the chicken broth and saffron to a boil in a separate pan.
Add the hot broth to the rice about 1 cup at a time, stirring until it's absorbed by the rice each time. After 6 cups of the broth has been added, check the rice's texture: it should be soft, but still firm in the middle. If necessary, stir in about 1 cup of the remaining broth, enough that the rice becomes creamy, but is still firm. (If the rice is totally soft, don't add this last cup of broth.)
Add the peas, sautéed onions, and asparagus along with the last cup of broth; or if you're not adding additional broth, simply stir them in.
Cover the pan, and cook gently for 4 minutes.
Turn off the heat, uncover the pan, and stir in the cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.