Couscous “Risotto” with Asparagus

Traditional risotto is made with starchy medium-grain Italian rice. This “risotto” uses pearl couscous (which actually is a pasta) and a simplified risotto cooking method to produce “grains” with a rich, creamy consistency. The wheaty flavor of pearl couscous (sometimes called Israeli couscous) is a perfect match for grassy, subtly sweet asparagus. When shopping, choose pencil-sized asparagus; larger spears won’t cook through in time and smaller ones will end up too soft.