Asparagus, Artichoke and Shiitake Risotto Adapted from Gourmet, May 2003 5 cups chicken broth (40 fl oz !

cup "ater ! pound thin to medium aspara#us, trimmed and cut into !$4 inch thick slices, lea%in# tips ! !$2 inches lon# ! tablespoon oli%e oil !$2 stick (!$4 cup unsalted butter 3$4 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps cut into !$4 inch thick slices 2 lar#e fresh artichoke hearts, cut into !$4 inch thick slices, prepared& 2 shallots, finely chopped ! !$2 cups Arborio rice (!0 oz !$2 cup dry "hite "ine 2 ounces finely #rated 'armi#iano()e##iano (! cup, thou#h * used half +rin# broth and "ater to a boil in a 4(,uart pot- Add aspara#us and cook, unco%ered, until crisp(tender, 3 to 4 minutes- .ransfer aspara#us "ith a slotted spoon to a lar#e bo"l of ice and cold "ater to stop cookin#, then drain and pat dry- /eep broth at a bare simmer, co%ered0eat oil "ith ! tablespoon butter in a 4(,uart hea%y saucepan o%er moderately hi#h heat until foam subsides, then saute mushrooms, stirrin# occasionally, until bro"ned, about 4 minutes- 1eason "ith salt and pepper, then transfer to a bo"l2ook onion in 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan o%er moderate heat, stirrin#, until softened, about 3 minutes- Add rice and cook, stirrin#, ! minute- Add "ine and cook, stirrin#, until absorbed, about ! minute3adle in ! cup simmerin# broth and cook at a stron# simmer, stirrin#, until absorbed, about 2 minutes- 2ontinue simmerin# and addin# broth, about !$2 cup at a time, stirrin# fre,uently and lettin# each addition be absorbed before addin# ne4t, until rice is 5ust tender and looks creamy, !6 to 20 minutes- (1a%e lefto%er broth for thinnin#)emo%e from heat and stir in !$2 cup cheese, remainin# tablespoon butter, and salt and pepper to taste- Gently stir in aspara#us, artichokes and mushrooms, then co%er pan and let stand ! minute- *f desired, thin risotto "ith some of remainin# broth- 1er%e immediately "ith remainin# cheese on the sideMakes 4 main(course ser%in#s& My absolutely fa%orite artichoke heart preparation is to remo%e all the outer lea%es, choke and stem of a "hole artichoke, lea%in# 5ust the heart- 2ut the heart into 78 inch slices and toss it immediately in a bo"l filled "ith the 5uice of one lemon- Make sure each and e%ery ed#e, an#le and side of the hearts #ets coated in lemon 5uice, or they "ill

bro"n %ery ,uickly- *n a small pot, boil "ater "ith a #ood #lu# or t"o of "hite "ine, a splash of "hite %ine#ar and if you9re feelin# fancy, a smashed #arlic clo%e and$or a bay leaf- :rop in the artichoke hearts "ith all of their lemon 5uice, and simmer them for about !0 minutes, or lon#er if needed for them to become tender- :rain and set them aside-