Champagne Risotto

This might be the best tasting dish I have ever tasted in my life.

I'm a carb girl..so this is stuff dreams are made of, creamy, salty

and down right divine!! Also, this is a perfect Valentine's Day for

your loved one. I made sure I cooked this early so you all could

make it....hint, hint!!!

Champagne Risotto - Giada

4 slices of prosciutto

3 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

12 asparagus spears,cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons butter, divided

1 shallot, finely chopped

3/4 cup Aborio rice

3/4 cup champagne

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place prosciutto on a slightly greased cookie sheet and cook

6 to 8 min until crisp. Reserve for garnish.

In a medium saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat

to a simmer. Blanch the asparagus in the chicken stock for 2 min.

Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon. Set the asparagus aside

and keep the chicken stock on a slow simmer.

In another medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the

shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the Aborio rice

and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring

constantly, for about 3 minutes. Add the champagne and simmer

until the liquid is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add half a

cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed,

about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding broth 1/2 cup at

a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition of broth to

absorb before adding the next, until the rice is tender but still firm

to the bite and the mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total.

Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the asparagus, remaining butter,

Parmesan, salt and pepper. Spoon risotto into serving dishes and

garnish by breaking crisp prosciutto into smaller pieces over the top

of risotto. Serve Immediately.