Recipes to Rival: Lemongrass Risotto & Peas

Dear Fellow Recipes to Rivalers,
this month's challenge is risotto. not only that, the broth to be used in said risotto had to be homemade. further, it had to be vegan & gluten free. it is hosted by Debyi of The Healthy Vegan Kitchen. the only change i made to this was that i used peas instead of asparagus. Nuria is not a fan and asparagus can be high up there in price. while the dish itself is vegan, i served it as a side to a meat dish. i made a lovely baked 10 cloves of garlic chicken. overall, the meal itself was lovely. the lemongrass broth provided a lovely aroma, reminiscent of an asian kitchen, the chili provided a kick at the base of the throat, not all that unpleasant and i added the peas at the last possible minute, so they were still firm and vibrantly green. i used a spanish moscato wine, giving the risotto an added sweetness.

i would definitely make this again, i have bag full of arborio rice to use up after all. i've made polenta cakes before, i wonder if it's possible to make risotto cakes? hmmm... the ideas! to see what everyone else made, hit up the blogroll.

and so, another challenge completed. till next time,
Angry Asian

Please click "read more" for the recipe.

Asparagus and Lemongrass Risotto
by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero from Veganomicon

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes Serves 4-6

Lemongrass Broth:
3 cloves garlic, whole and unpeeled
1? piece fresh ginger, sliced into ¼? slices
1 small stalk lemongrass, or 1 TBSP dried, chopped lemongrass
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
3 TBSP tamari (or soy sauce, or more broth)

Risotto:
½ cup cooking sherry or white wine (D'Aquino Pinot Grigio is a good choice, any dry white wine, or just water)
1 lb asparagus
2 TBSP vegetable broth
1 cup basil leaves (Thai, if you can find it), sliced into thin strips
2 TBSP chopped fresh mint
6 large shallots, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano red chile, sliced very thinly (or ½ ? 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes)
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
1 tsp sugar (optional)
2 TBSP lime juice
Chopped roasted peanuts and lime wedges, for garnish (you can use pine nuts or sliced almonds instead of the peanuts)

1.If using fresh lemongrass, peel away and discard any brown stems from the stalk. Slice the stalk in half lengthwise and cut into 3? to 4? lengths, then julienne.

2.Give the garlic and the ginger a could whack with the side of your knife, keeping them whole. Prepare your herb pouch, if using.

3.Place all of the broth ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain the broth, discarding the vegetables and herbs. Pour the broth back into the pot, cover and simmer over as low a heat as possible to keep warm.

4.Slice the asparagus into ½? pieces, removing any tough parts from the bottom of the stem. Separate the tips from the stems and place each in separate bowls.

5.In a medium-sized heavy-bottomed pot, saute the asparagus in 1 TBSP vegetable broth over medium heat until bright and crisp tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the basil and mint, saute for 30 seconds, remove from heat and set aside.

6.Add the remaining tablespoon vegetable broth to the pan. Saute the shallots and garlic, stirring occasionally, until shallots are very soft, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the serrano and rice, saute for about 8 minutes, until the rice smells slightly toasted. Add the cooking sherry (or white wine) and stir constantly until the liquid is absorbed.

7.Now, time for relaxation and stirring. Get a glass of your favorite beverage, turn on some soothing music, or a good movie. Ladle about ½ cup of the broth at a time into the rice, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed. Stir and cook until the rice is creamy but still somewhat firm in the center.

8.When the broth is almost gone, stir the sugar and lime juice into the remaining broth before adding it to the risotto. You may add more water or vegetable broth in ¼ cup increments if needed. This will take about 35 minutes.

9.Stir the asparagus stems into the risotto and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the asparagus has reached desired tenderness.

10.Garnish each serving with the asparagus tips, chopped roasted peanuts, and lime wedges.