Asparagus & Shitake Mushroom Risotto

CASE: Use up leftover asparagus, lemon, and arugula. In a delicious way. Brandon and I were mucking about at home, totally disinclined to go out and I wanted to use up these leftover items. Here is the result!

ASPARAGUS & SHITAKE MUSHROM RISOTTO

2 handfuls dried shitake mushrooms
1/2 chopped up onion, white or red or even shallots is fine
3 cloves garlic
1 large bunch of asparagus (try to get the thinner ones, they're more tender)
1/2 bottle of white wine (ohhh shush it's delicious. We picked a $10 Joel Gott, can't remember if it was pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc but it was really a great wine to cook and drink)
1 large tin or can of beef stock (use chicken stock if you want, but I don't recommend it!)
1 1/2 c choped zucchini (get a mix, yellow and green, whatver)
1 1/2 cups risotto rice (go to the Italian deli and get the good stuff)
1 c frozen peas
1 T choped cilantro
1 cup fresh arugula (try to get the tender baby arugula, the wilder the better!)
1/2 cup grated parmesan

Boil the dried shitakes and asparagus in the beef stock. When the asparagus is cooked (I would cut it into 1 inch pieces) pull them out and set aside. Slice up your mushrooms, toss 'em back in the stock and keep on simmer.

Fry up your onions and garlic in some oil for a few minutes, then add the risotto. It is critical, and I mean it, that you fry up your risotto too. Add butter if you want, but a well-cooked risotto needs neither butter nor milk, and certainly not any cream. The cheese adds that thickness but it really is just for the taste. So wilt your onions and garlic in 1/4 c of olive oil, then add the risotto and let it cook, stirring around, for at least 3 minutes. Add some lemon zest, and even lemon juice. It adds a certain freshness. Then you add your wine. Glorious smells will emanate from your pot, but it only gets better, trust me! Add it 1/2 cup at a time, and stir it around. Risottos need love, i.e. constant stirring, but too much stirring and it breaks it up and gets mushy. So don't give it too much love. Once you've got a fair amount of wine in there, then add the sliced up zucchini and sliced mushrooms. You have about 15-20 more minutes of cooking to go at this point. Periodically add the stock to the risotto, 1 cup at a time, and stir it in. When the liquid evaporates, add some more. If you run out, don't panic, just start using water...or more wine...but even that is pushing it a bit. Most recipes call for 1/2 cup of wine. Just use water. When it's just about done, add the asaparagus and peas and cheese and cilantro. You can add a bit of worcestshire or even balsamic vinegar if you want to add a little more oomph, maybe 1 T, but I don't recommend it. The lemon you added earlier, with the cilantro, really is enough. Salt and pepper go without saying. And give it one last good bit of love, stirring 'til the cheese melts. Don't worry about defrosting the peas, just pop them in. At the end, once you've ladled it into the bowls, mound the arugula on top and then add a smattering more of the cheese. The lucky eater will be able to wilt the arugula themselves.

NOTE: You do not need to serve this with meat! But you can, and I would say lamb or pork, rubbed with lemon and rosemary and roasted in the oven. It's honestly enough to serve this by itself, and Brandon loved it. He got to finish most of the bottle of white wine which made him even happier!

VERDICT: GUILTY! OF BEING DELICIOUS!