In the Kitchen With Ricky: Risotto is a simple, beloved dish for Valentine’s Day

I’m always looking for fun food ways to celebrate holidays, and I love planning a menu or recipe around a theme. With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I wanted to offer a recipe that feels inspired by love, especially with the time and care it takes to make it.

When I think of Valentine’s Day, it’s a day to spend quality time with loved ones. Be it your romantic partner, parents, other family members or friends, this Hallmark holiday is just a nice reminder to show some love. My way of showing love is through cooking. I always use this holiday to make someone’s favorite dish or highlight a beloved ingredient.

Valentine’s menus often include indulgent or rare items like lobster, truffles, an expensive cut of beef and most always chocolate, but, instead of expensive ingredients or a flashy recipe, I’m planning to go a bit traditional with a simple ingredient list and an easy recipe.

Risotto is a Northern Italian rice dish made by highlighting a specific ingredient such as meat, fish or vegetables; however, the rice is always the star. Risotto is made by slowly adding broth to arborio rice (a short-grained Italian rice). Arborio is the most traditional and readily available choice for risotto and also commonly used for rice pudding in Italy.

I chose asparagus for this recipe as it is a bit more readily available during cold weather months, but it is also considered to be an aphrodisiac. It’s Valentine’s Day, after all! Many items can be used instead of asparagus, and I encourage you to use a favorite ingredient. Mine include saffron (the most traditional risotto in Italy), mushroom, spring pea and artichoke.

Risotto is often served as the first course in Italy, but it also makes a hearty, warming entrée or wonderful side dish. Although it takes a bit of patience, risotto is simple and always best made on the home stove and served with love.

Asparagus Risotto

1 small to medium white onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups arborio rice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup white wine

4 cups chicken broth, hot

1 bunch asparagus, cleaned, ends trimmed and stalks cut into 1-inch pieces

Kosher salt and fresh grated black pepper, to taste

½ lemon, zested

¼ cup parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Parmesan cheese to serve on the side, if desired

Place the chicken stock in a small pot on the back burner over medium/low heat and keep it warm (I like to place it directly behind or to the side of the risotto pan).

Over medium heat, in a large saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering.

Add the chopped onions to the olive oil and sauté, stirring continuously until translucent, but not browned. You may need to adjust your heat.

Add the arborio rice and stir constantly for about 1 minute, or just until you notice the rice gets a bit whiter. Add the garlic and stir.

Once you stir the garlic, immediately add the wine so as to not burn the garlic. When garlic burns or browns, it tends to get bitter.

Stir the rice until it absorbs all the wine and is almost dry. Add the hot broth 1-2 ladlesful at a time.

Stir the risotto frequently, as this helps to ensure an even cook and absorption of liquid and results in a creamier finished product.

Once the liquid is about 90% absorbed, add another ladle or two. After half the stock is added, add the asparagus and season with a heavy pinch of salt and black pepper.

Continue to repeat this process until all the liquid is added. Add the lemon zest and parsley, then the butter, and remove from the heat.

Test and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately and, if you’d like, with cheese on the side.

Yield: 4 servings

Local award-winning chef and Rind and Wheat owner Ricky Webster can be reached at ricky@rindandwheat.com. Follow Webster on Instagram @rickycaker.