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1) Stew the onion in butter over medium heat until soft, then zest the lemon and stir it with the onion.
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2) Stir in the rice to coat all the grains of rice with butter.
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3) Start adding broth 1/2 cup at a time. Adjust the heat so the broth just simmers. The broth will reduce and thicken into a sort of gravy. Every time that happens, add another half cup, then add the water half a cup at a time. Stir frequently and continue until the rice is just about done. Meanwhile, squeeze the lemon and add a couple tablespoons along with some broth. (Save the last bit of lemon juice to season the dish with at the end.)
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3a) Cut the asparagus and salmon into 1-inch pieces.
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4) When the rice is just a tad underdone, stir in the parmesan cheese. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Let it get piping hot, then...
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5) Take the pan off the heat and stir in the asparagus and salmon. Cover the pot and let it sit for 5 minutes. By then the salmon is usually cooked, but it may need a minute more. Serve with grated or shaved parmesan over the top. (Don't stir very much or you'll break up the fish.)
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Lemon Zest:
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As you probably know, this is the outermost part-the yellow part-of the peel. If you have a zester, you can simple zest the lemon right into the pan. If you don't have this nifty tool, use a potato peeler to peel off the yellow part and mince it with a knife. (I'm not a fan of grating lemon zest because I always scrape my knuckles, but if you like that method, go for it.)
