How to Make Risotto with Shrimps and Asparagus

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Knorr^®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Here is an easy way to make dinner...like Italians do! With this creamy and scrumptious risotto with seared shrimp and asparagus.

Italian risotto makes the perfect one-dish entrée that is fancy and elegant enough for a special occasion (your Mom would certainly love it this weekend!).  But it's also easy and quick enough to make any weeknight dinner special.

This creamy and mouthwatering risotto combines the fresh and earthly flavor of asparagus, and the sweet and delicate taste of shrimp seared to perfection in just a few minutes. This dish is made even more flavorful and luxurious thanks to Cubos de Knorr^Ò Selects Caldo de Vegetales (vegetable bouillon). Take a look! Wouldn’t you like to take this bite?!? 

What I love the most about Knorr Selects Bouillon Cubes is not only that they’re versatile and a great addition to any meal, but also that they’re made with natural stock and have no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and contain no added MSG.

Compared to traditional bouillon, Knorr Selects Bouillon Cubes have 30% less ingredients, 20% less sodium, a cleaner label, and more premium ingredients. They also come in multiple varieties! You can find them in tomato and chicken. It’s available at your local Cardenas, El Super, Northgate or Super King Markets. 

Make sure to check out here to find the amazing savings on Knorr® Selects Bouillon Cubes available from 4/24/19 - 4/30/19.

Now, let's talk risotto here for a minute. 

Doesn't the word "risotto" sound super fancy ... especially if you can roll the R and make that strong double Ts sound at the end, just like Italians do?!? 

I think a lot of people feel slightly intimidated by risotto, and I don’t mean saying the word out loud. I've heard it before: It's complicated and so time consuming! But that can't be farther from the truth. 

Check out my recipe below and you'll see that this risotto only requires one-pan to cook it (cleaning at the end is a breeze!), a few delicious ingredients, and 30 minutes of your time. 

Ok. Ok... It is true that you can't just throw the ingredients in a pan and pretend to get this sinfully creamy creation. But all you've got to do is get your wooden spoon ready, and be prepared to stir occasionally while adding some water and bouillon to the mix. 

Make sure to turn on some music, pour yourself a glass of wine if you’d like (why not?!?), have your camera ready (you will want to immortalize your dinner creation), and watch the cooking-magic happen!

Buon Appetito!

INGREDIENTS:

YIELD: 2 servings

1. • 3/4 cup (160 gr) Arborio or Carnaroli rice
   • 6 oz (170 gr) fresh asparagus
   • 1/2 lb. (225 gr) shrimps
   • 1/2 small onion, chopped
   • 1 garlic clove, crushed
   • about 2 1/2 cups of water
   • 1/2  cube of Cubos de Knorr Selects Caldo de Vegetales 
      
   • 2 tablespoons oil
   • 1 tablespoon butter
   • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
   • sea salt  and pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

TIME: about 30 minutes

Wash and snap the bottom part of the asparagus with your hands, as close to the bottom as you can. Cut the top in one big piece, and slice the rest in smaller parts.

In a large enough pan, sauté the chopped onion with two tablespoons of olive oil for a couple of minutes.

Add the garlic clove. I like to crush the garlic so I can remove it at the end. But feel free to mince it and leave it in if you prefer.

Add the asparagus and the shrimp to the pan. Sear at medium-high heat for a few minutes, just until the shrimp change color. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.

Add the rice to the pan and cook at medium heat for about two minutes, stirring constantly. 

Add a half cube of Cubos de Knorr^Ò Selects Caldo de Vegetales and about 1 cup of water. 

Cook the risotto by stirring every few minutes and adding more water when it's all absorbed. You will probably use around 2 and a half cups in total.

After about 15 minutes add the shrimp back to the pan. 

Finish cooking until the water is all absorbed, and the rice is fully cooked. It should take between 18 to 20 minutes total for the rice to fully cook. 

When ready, add one tablespoon of butter and the chopped parsley.

Mix quickly and let the risotto sit for a couple of minutes before serving. 

Buon Appetito!