Springtime Risotto

When I mentioned to my mother that Lost Creek had a bottle named "Springtime", she couldn't get over what a great name that was for a wine. And it certainly lives up to this name... it is light, crisp and fresh. It is my absolute favorite of all our white wines, so I was very excited to do a food pairing for it.

When I think of Spring-y foods, asparagus immediately pops into my head. It is always the first vegetable that shows up at my farmer's market, and I've seen bunches of it on sale at the grocery store lately. I knew that I had to find a way to incorporate into my dinner.

Once again, my latest issue of Everyday Food beckoned to me, where I found a recipe for a basic risotto. It even called for Pinot Grigio as one of the ingredients! Our Springtime is a blend of four grapes (Vidal Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay and Muscat Canelli), but it closely resembles Pinot Grigio in taste. So, with my bunch of asparagus stalks in one hand, and my box of Arborio rice in the other, I set off to tailor a risotto that would complement this delicious wine.

Springtime Risotto
Adapted from Everyday Food, April 2011

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 large shallot, diced small
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as  Springtime
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1/2 pound asparagus, chopped into 1- inch pieces 
3/4 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a medium saucepan, bring broth to a simmer; reduce heat and keep warm. In a large, heavy skillet or pot, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high. Add shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook until it starts to soften. Add rice and cook, stirring, until rice is translucent at edges (about 1 minute).

Add wine and stir until evaporated. With a ladle, add about 1 cup broth to skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed. Repeat, gradually adding broth by the cupful and stirring constantly, until rice is tender but al dente and sauce is creamy. This takes about 20 to 25 minutes. Towards the end, stir in the shrimp and asparagus. Both need only a couple of minutes to cook.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in remaining butter and Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 4

The Springtime and the risotto were an excellent match, if I do say so myself. The wine pairs well with lighter meats, so seafood was a good choice. The mildly sweet flavor of the shrimp, the crispness of the asparagus, and the creaminess of the Parmesan blended well in the dish, but did not overpower this subtle wine. And my glass of Springtime brought out the bit of wine that was incorporated into the dish. All in all this was a great pairing, and I plan to do it again!