Asparagus and Crab Risotto with Orange Gremolada

Time for a little catch-up blogging. My summer ended a little crazy but I have a few new recipes to share! Even though I love the freshness of summer produce, I'm already looking forward to the comfort food of fall. That being said, here's a great spring/summer recipe I found in one of my grandmother's vintage cookbooks she sent to Boston with me after my last trip home. The book is called One-Dish Meals from Food & Wine magazine, and though some of the dishes are pretty hysterically outdated (casseroles, anyone??) I found a lot of great ones I can't wait to try.

I made homemade chicken stock for the first time, which I would not advise someone to do in a tiny kitchen in the middle of August with no air conditioning... I did it anyway, and it was worth it. I took a carcass leftover from a rotisserie chicken and simmered it in a large pot with water, chopped vegetables (carrots, onion, parsley, celery) and some salt and pepper for 4 1/2 hours. After draining, I stored it in a large container in the fridge and used it within 3 days. Super easy and it made the risotto that much better!

Asparagus and Crab Risotto with Orange Gremolada (Adapted from Food & Wine)
Makes: 5 servings  Prep: 15 minutes  Total: 1 hour

Ingredients
4 cups homemade chicken stock
1 1/2 cups water
1 lb asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
1 1/2 cups brown rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 lb crab meat
1 tsp grated orange zest
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup parsley, chopped

Directions
In a medium pot, simmer broth and water together and cook chopped asparagus until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove, drain and set aside.
In a large pot, cook diced onion in 1 tbs butter and 1 tbs oil until slightly translucent. Add rice and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the vermouth, salt and pepper. Next, add the broth one 1/2 cup at a time, letting the rice absorb the liquid before adding more. Continue this until all the broth is used and absorbed or until desired thickness is reached.
Lastly, mix in the crab meat, asparagus, orange zest, minced garlic, parsley and remained 1/2 tbs butter. Heat through and serve immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 48 hours.