New Year's Day...Champagne Risotto

Chances are that if you are spending New Year's Eve at home, alone or with company, there will be some leftover Champagne come tomorrow morning. Hopefully, it will be in the refrigerator, uncorked, the best way to keep champagne that has been opened the night before. Even if it's not cold, it should still be alright for cooking a day or two after uncorking. 

 I am not one for starting the day with Mimosas, particularly after drinking Champagne the night before.  I would much rather save the leftover bubbly for a chicken in champagne sauce or a risotto. Anything but throw a drop away.

The recipe below can be adapted in many ways and is perfect for lunch or dinner.  You can substitute  green peas or shiitake mushrooms for the asparagus while keeping the prosciutto;  or you can eliminate the latter altogether and just add champagne and peas, asparagus or mushrooms.  It's up to you, what you have in the food closet and how bad the hangover.

For 2 Servings

Ingredients

• 4 thin slices prosciutto
• 1 TB olive oil
• 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 Arborio rice
• 3/4 cup Champagne
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Blanch the asparagus in the chicken stock for 2 minutes. Remove the asparagus with a slotted spoon. Set the asparagus aside and keep the chicken stock at a low simmer.

Slice the prosciutto in strips

In another medium saucepan, melt 1 TB olive oil and saute the prosciutto until crisp.  Remove to the side, wipe the pan with a paper towel.

Add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the shallot and cook until tender, about 3 minutes.
 Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter. Continue toasting the rice, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes more.

Add the Champagne and simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking the rice, adding the 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 the risotto into serving dishes and garnish with the crisp prosciutto over the top of the risotto. Serve immediately.