This is my twist on the recipe that made me love asparagus – a grilled asparagus and melon salad, with prosciutto and mozzarella. That salad recipe was the first taste I had of asparagus and melon together, and I’m still shocked at how wonderfully they pair together. They’re both also great with the smoky flavor that bacon adds.
And here I’ve thrown all those goodies into a risotto, which I love because for me the creaminess of the risotto replaces the cheese from the original recipe. Even though it’s not similar at all, it still gives this the same decadent taste as the original salad.
See, it’s so creamy that I got a little of the risotto starch on my fingers and left a big ol’ smudge in the middle of my camera lens while I was taking pictures (see the blurry rice at the top of the pile)!
Risotto:
inspired by Giada at Home
serves 4
3 C vegetable stock
1 T Earth Balance
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 C arborio rice (you could use pearl barley instead for added nutrition)
1/2 C dry white wine
1 bunch asparagus, cut into one inch pieces
1 T olive oil
1/2 C vegan bacon, crumbled
3 T chives, finely chopped
zest of 1 lemon
1/8 medium cantaloupe
1/2 t salt (varies depending on salt content of stock and bacon)
black pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Heat vegetable stock in a saucepan over medium heat. In a larger saucepan, melt Earth Balance over medium heat. When melted, add shallot until soft; then add rice and stir for about 3 minutes. Add white wine and cook until the wine’s fully absorbed.
Then, you’ll repeat the next step: take a ladleful of the vegetable stock and add it to the rice, stirring well after each addition. Wait for the rice to absorb the stock, and repeat until rice is tender.
Meanwhile, put asparagus on a foil-lined baking sheet, and mix with oil until well coated. Roast in oven for about 10 minutes, until slightly brown. (The picture below is before roasting – you want it browner than that.)
When the rice is tender, mix in asparagus, bacon, chives, and lemon zest. Top with shaved or cubed melon. The shaved melon is so pretty, but I think cubed is better because the middle of the cubes stays nice and cool – it’s very refreshing. The thin shavings heat up pretty quickly on top of warm risotto.
Nutrition facts per serving (varies with bacon choice and amount of salt): Calories: 319; Calories from Fat: 85; Total Fat: 9.4g; Saturated Fat: 3.2g; Cholesterol: 0mg; Sodium; 675mg; Total Carbohydrates: 48.9g; Dietary Fiber: 4.2g; Sugars: 5.7g; Protein: 7.7g
For a printable version, click here.
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