Need a main dish to go with asparagus risotto

[Cluricaun]

Because it's that time of year and I have a ton of fresh asparagus chillin in the fridge, I've decided that tonight shall be asparagus risotto night. But now that I've got that I need something that asparagus risotto goes along well with. Suggestions?

[silenus]

Grilled pork chops. The char offsets the asparagus quite nicely.

[criminey.jicket]

I was going say grilled lamb chops and a salad. Perfect.

[Winston Smith]

I second the lamb chops. Can I come over? (I'll bring beer.)

[Cluricaun]

Good, I like the idea of pork with this somehow. Lamb chops aren't really my bag. I'll have to broil the chops though as the grill is out of commission until I get a new propane tank, I ran it out this weekend making fajitas. I suppose a bit of olive oil on the chops under the high broiler will get me a nice crusty char just the same. Mmmm.....I want to go home now.

However as I go to submit this, Winston comes in with a second vote for lamb. What kind of prep favors lamb? These have to go in the oven or be pan seared. Just salt pepper and olive oil, or something else? I'll not commit mint jelly. Ever.

And of course you're welcome to come over Winston. Dinner is at 6:00 sharp as the Cubbies play at 6:05.

[silenus]

You have it for lamb. Just salt, pepper and a little oil. But cook it carefully. I find that pork is more forgiving a chop, and holds a char better without overpowering the meat.

[Cluricaun]

Hmmmmm.....interesting. If I had the time I might try a lamb chop osso bucco, but I didn't get started on this last night. How do we think a nice pesto dressing would fair on lamb chops?

[OneCentStamp]

Am I the only person who had an infamous SDMB thread pop into their head just now?

[criminey.jicket]

Hm, I just thought of something.

I'd go for chicken breasts. You can sear them in a pan and toss that in the oven to bake off without a lot of fuss. Then you won't be pressed trying to finish off the risotto and grill something. Risotto does not hold at all.

Yeah, chicken breasts would be better. You can deglaze the pan with a big squeeze of lemon and mount the sauce with a wodge of cold butter and throw some chopped herbs at it.

Prewarm your plates, too. That will keep the risotto looser longer.

[Cluricaun]

Nope, it happened to me while I was writing the OP. I've allowed for semen references, just keep them out of the kitchen, the girlfriend gets mad when I make a mess out of the kitchen.

Chicken is my go to meat for most dishes, we love us some chicken breasts, but I'd like to not do chicken again tonight. We have chicken at least three nights a week.

[silenus]

I think pesto would overwhelm lamb, but then again, I'm not that big a fan of lamb to begin with. Pork is the go-to meat around here.

[Winston Smith]

I coat lambchops with olive oil, then give them a light rub of kosher salt and course black pepper. If you do it just right, you'll end up with a crispy, seared outside and a tender interior. I'm making sirloin steaks like this tonight.

[Cluricaun]

Well it is that lamb time of year. I'll give it a shot if the price is right when I get to the store tonight.

Any sauces that do work well with lamb?

[silenus]

I'm making sirloin steaks like this tonight.

That's tomorrow night for us. Steaks and twice-baked potatoes, with maybe a salad and a nice bottle of Pinot Noir.

[Jules]

Lamb is my favorite, but I made roast pork tenderloins with apricot-mustard glaze last night, and it was really good. Would go very well with asparagus. But really, what doesn't go with asparagus? I grill it at least weekly.

[Suburban Plankton]

I realize I'm a bit late with this question, but what about having asparagus risotto as the main dish? I make a risotto maybe once a month or so, and it's always the main dish.

For the record, I am a staunch omnivore...

[Cluricaun]

Success, thy name is lamb chops.

This one was kind of a bitch, any meal that involves risotto and a single cook is going to be since risotto needs more attention than brain surgery. I got two lamb blade chops from the store, brought them home and let them sit and get to room temp, then rubbed them with olive oil and something called Italian seasoned salt that I found in the cupboard (someone's been to a Tastefully Simple party and it wasn't me). Then I got started on the risotto and blanching the asparagus. I pan seared the lamb chops before sticking them in the low broiler for the rest of the time that the risotto took, and then jacked the oven up to high broil to finish.

Sorry, but I was impressed that it all came together at the same time, which is key with risotto which does not wait well for others.

And I now have a new meat in the cooking arsenal. Woot.

[criminey.jicket]

Props to you, Cluricaun! Any meal with risotto will prove to be a bit of a mad dance at the end. Hope you got your just desserts for all that effort! :wink:

I realize I'm a bit late with this question, but what about having asparagus risotto as the main dish? I make a risotto maybe once a month or so, and it's always the main dish.

Unless my risotto is preceded by or paired with a couple ounces of protein, it will be too heavy on simple carbs and leave me hungry again in short order.