Tomato and Asparagus Risotto

This is one of our family's favorite risotto dishes, combining the tastes of fresh asparagus and tomato with some wonderful herbs and Parmesan cheese. I think making risotto scares too many people away, but the process really is quite simple and it's so versatile in it's different applications. Last summer I planted oregano, basil and parsley in our garden and they work great in this dish. The recipe below yields 5-6 servings. Enjoy!

HELPFUL HINTS
1. Give yourself about 30 minutes to make this.
2. The process goes much better when you've prepped and measured out your ingredients before hand.
3. Don't overcook the risotto or it will become too starchy. You'll want it soft but firm enough to keep it's shape.
4. When serving it, use a metal ring as pictured for a great presentation.

INGREDIENTS
¼ cup olive oil
4 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 lb fresh asparagus spears, stemmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup tomatoes
8 cups chicken broth
8 oz butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 Tbsp chopped oregano
1 Tbsp chopped basil

DIRECTIONS
1. Hold the broth warm in a saucepan.

















2. Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium heat.
3. Add garlic and cook 3 minutes or until soft, almost translucent.
4. Stir in rice and cook for 2 minutes.

















5. Add ½ cup of broth and stir until completely absorbed.

















6. Repeat until half of broth has been added. Stir the risotto frequently to prevent sticking.

















7. Add asparagus to the remaining broth and let it blanch for about 2 minutes.

















8. Remove asparagus from broth and add to the risotto mixture.

















9. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time until desired creaminess is reached.
10. Remove from heat and add butter, parmesan cheese and herbs.































11. Right before serving, add tomatoes.
















12. Transfer to large bowl and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.