CREAMY AND CHEESY ARBORIO RICE WITH ASPARAGUS AND ARTICHOKES

How about a cheater's risotto? Here's a recipe for it, boys and girls! If you would rather not stand over the stove to keep adding liquid as the rice cooks, here is an alternative method of making risotto. The rice is left to cook on its own, and then cream, Gruyère and Pecorino are added to make a good, creamy rice. 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup arborio rice 
3 and 3/4 cups no-salt vegetable broth 
1 lb asparagus trimmed and peeled

1 cup frozen artichokes, thawed and sliced into quarters
2 tbsp unsalted butter plus one tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, chopped 
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 of a cup grated Gruyère cheese

1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese 

1/4 cup heavy cream
2 scallions, white and light-green parts only, sliced
some herbs: 

fresh parsley, fresh chives, fresh dill, chopped well

some dried tarragon
pepper to taste

Directions:

• In a medium pot heat the oil, add the rice and stir over medium heat for about three minutes. 
• Pour in a quarter of the broth and cook, stirring until the broth is absorbed. 
• Add the rest of the broth, bring to a boil, and cover the pot. Lower the heat to low and cook for twenty minutes. Turn off the heat set the rice aside, letting it finish cooking on its own. 
• Cut the asparagus into two-inch pieces and reserve the tips. 
• Bring a small saucepan of salted water to a boil. Drop in the asparagus and cook for two minutes. Scoop it out and reserve.
• Throw the asparagus tips in the water. Allow them to cook for two minutes and drain. 
• Over medium heat, melt the butter and add the shallots and artichokes. Cook stirring for about five minutes. Halfway through cooking add the garlic. 
• Stir in the asparagus pieces (not the tips) and remove from the heat.
• Over low heat, stir the cheese into the rice. 
• Add the heavy cream.
• Add the shallot and asparagus mixture.
• Mix in the scallions and herbs. 
• Season with pepper.
• Place into a serving bowl and top with the asparagus tips.