Greek Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto

Despite the possibility of a snow storm tomorrow, I am very excited that the first day of spring is less than two weeks away.  For some reason, the bright green of vegetables like peas and asparagus screams Spring and Easter to me.

This recipe from Cooking Light is a great way to kick off the Spring season.

The Husband and I loved this dish. Dill, lemon and feta are such wonderful complements to each other. The crunchiness of the asparagus plays really well against the creaminess of the risotto and semi-melted feta, for a nice contrast of textures.

This was very easy to make and for a risotto, did not take that long.  This recipe is definitely a keeper!

A few notes:
- I increased the amount of garlic to 4 cloves. Next time I would even go closer to 5 or 6.
- I used closer to 1 1/2 tbsps of chopped fresh dill.
- I also added additional salt & pepper.
- As I often do, I added crushed red pepper flakes in with the dill and other ingredients. Probably close to 1 teaspoon.
- If you aren't watching calories or fat, I would increase the amount of feta to 3/4 - 1 cup.

Greek Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto

3 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 3/4 cups chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion (about 2 medium)
1 cup Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 3/4 cups (1/2-inch) slices asparagus (about 8 ounces)
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Bring broth and 1 cup water to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in rice and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 30 minutes total).

Stir in asparagus and shrimp; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and remaining ingredients.