Friday night at my place is a barometer for how the rest of the weekend will go. If the transition from badass lady professional in pantyhose and makeup to sloth-person in yoga pants with just a whiff of unshowered je ne sais quoi goes smoothly, then the weekend will be pleasant. If the transition is delayed or bumpy, then no one may ask mom any questions he could answer himself unless he is prepared to defend his honour.

Mom is temperamental.

But risotto eases the transition. The main benefit to this creamy rice dish is that preparing it is almost meditative, in that it requires focus and attention. It is also repetitive.

It doesn’t take long enough to be a hassle 30 minutes, start to finish, or about the time it takes to play through an episode of Curious George on Netflix and it smells good and it’s carby and cheesy and rich, but it’s also cheap and adaptable. It requires you to open a bottle of wine. Meditation plus wine equals the kind of mom who is zen enough for you to query with even the stupidest questions. (”Where’s the milk?”)

It is also kid-friendly, as it’s texturally straightforward, grain-based, and not conducive to a lot of loud chewing noises. When you make risotto, you make a better evening for yourself and those around you.

Recipe notes:

Gluten-free, vegetarian, kid-friendly.
I generally make mine with half arborio rice and half pearl barley, which reduces the cost of the dish and also adds additional fibre; it also makes the dish a little more forgiving, as rice can turn to mush if overcooked but barley will hold its own for a good while longer. Adding barley may make the dish not gluten-free.
Don’t bother with expensive wine; this is a good place for something you’d drink happily but that you might not serve to fancy company. Go with your best judgment.
Seasoning is approximate and depends entirely on how salty your stock and your cheese are. Taste as you go.
Delicious topped with a poached egg, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Asparagus risotto with lemon and dill

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
3 tbsp. butter, divided
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice or pearl barley, or a mix
1 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, zest and juice (divided)
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and chopped
½ cup finely grated parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ cup roughly chopped fresh dill

Pour your stock into a small saucepan, and set over medium-low heat. Do not bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, melt two tablespoons of butter in a large pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until translucent but not browned, about three minutes.

Add garlic and rice and/or barley. Stir to coat the grains in fat and cook until it smells faintly toasty and begins to look opaque, about one minute.

Add wine and lemon juice. Turn the heat down to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has dissipated, stirring frequently.

Add a third of the warmed stock to the pan. Stir. At this point, feel free to wander off to make sure Netflix hasn’t frozen or to make a salad. Return occasionally, checking to see that the liquid in the pan is disappearing, and to stir.

Once the liquid has mostly been absorbed, add another third of the stock. Stir occasionally.

When the liquid has mostly been absorbed, add your asparagus, and the remaining liquid. Cook until the asparagus is cooked and some moisture still remains in the pan. Add the cheese, and the peas, and the lemonzest. Stir. Taste. Season as needed.

Stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter and the dill. Serve immediately, with salad and crusty bread.