Creamy arborio rice, cooked with fresh garden vegetables and flavorful saffron, then sprinkled with asiago cheese. It's a tasty side dish that will impress your palate!
1mediumzucchiniquartered and sliced into thin (1/4 inch) pieces
6thin stalksasparagustrimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
½cupbell pepper (any color)cored, seeded, and diced
2scallionsthinly sliced
1teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper
¼cuplemon juice
4ounces(1/4 cup) shredded Asiago Cheese
2Tablespoonsfresh basilchopped
5slicesbaconcrisply cooked and crumbled
Instructions
In 3-quart pan, heat 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add rice and stir continuously until edges of kernels are translucent; about 3 to 4 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup broth and stir until absorbed; about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add another 1/2 cup broth, saffron, zucchini, asparagus, red pepper, onions and pepper. Cook until all liquid is absorbed; stirring frequently.
Continue to add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, cooking until liquid is absorbed each time.
When all liquid has been added and absorbed, stir in lemon juice, Asiago and remaining butter. Mixture should be creamy and rice should be al dente.