Hello All! I'm back and excited to continue to share some of my favorite recipes with you :).
You can make your asparagus pesto ahead of time or if you are a good multitasking in the kitchen, you can make it while you are making your risotto.
Asparagus & Almond Pesto
1 bunch Fresh Asparagus
2 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 c. Almonds, slivered or sliced
1/4 c. Fresh Basil
1/4 c. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Sea Salt to taste
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss asparagus with a little extra virgin olive oil and sea salt on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes until bright green and tender. When finished, cut off asparagus tips and set aside. Chop asparagus stalks and toss them into a food processor.
2. Add remaining ingredients into food processor with the asparagus and pulse until mixture comes together in a coarse pesto. Set aside.
This pesto is also great on pasta with the roasted tomatoes.
Roasted Tomatoes:
I use 1 pint of red cherry tomatoes and 1 pint of golden tomatoes. You can use whatever you'd like.
Drizzle tomatoes with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt on a rimmed baking sheet, roast tomatoes at 425°F for 10-15 minutes until they collapse. This can easily be done while you are working on your risotto. The tomatoes add a great freshness to the richness of the risotto! I love how they balance everything out.
Basic Risotto:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion, chopped
1 1/2 c. Arborio Rice
3/4 c. Dry White Wine
4 c. Low Sodium Chicken Stock (gluten free if you desire)
Sea Salt
1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Drizzle some olive oil in the pan and add the onion. Sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.
2. While the onion cooks, add the chicken stock to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and keep on the verge of a simmer nearby the risotto pan.
3. Add rice to the onions and sauté until the edges are translucent, add the wine and stir constantly until absorbed. Once wine is absorbed, add a ladle of the hot chicken stock, stir frequently until absorbed and repeat for the next 20 minutes or so, until all the stock is absorbed, the risotto is a creamy texture and the rice has just a little bite left.
Stir in asparagus pesto and asparagus tips. Serve with roasted tomatoes and grated parmesan cheese on top.
I hope you enjoy this as much as we did! This recipe is gluten free and can easily be made vegetarian by substituting vegetable stock for the chicken stock.
Thanks for checking out my blog and stay tuned for more great recipes coming soon!
