Cheese Rice with Asparagus and Peas

An authentic Italian recipe from our kitchen to yours. Buon Appetito!

Ingredients

- 2 cups rice

- 6 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water

- 1/2 cup white wine

- 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

- 1 medium shallot, minced

- 1 cup frozen peas

- 1 1/2 cups fresh asparagus, chopped into small pieces

- 1/3 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

- 1 cup grated fontina cheese

- Salt

Directions

1. In a stock pot, add broth or water and wine. Bring liquids to a boil and then turn heat to low and continue to simmer.

2. In a separate, large cooking pot, over medium to medium-high heat, add the olive oil and shallot. Sauté until the shallot becomes translucent.

3. Add rice and peas and sauté for a few minutes until the rice kernels become translucent and begin to pop.

4. Add a ladle full of the broth and wine mixture to the rice and continue to stir until the liquid is almost absorbed by the rice. Continue this process until the rice has softened but still is firm enough to have a bit of a bite to it. Be careful not to add too much liquid or the rice will become too soft and mushy.

5. At this point, add one more generous ladle of the broth wine mixture to the pan along with the asparagus and fontina and Parmigiano cheeses. Mix the ingredients thoroughly until all of the cheese has melted into the rice and the liquid is almost absorbed, approximately another 3 - 5 minutes.

6. Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately.