Recipe for Asparagus risotto – for 2

Now asparagus is in season you need to make the most of it. You can follow this recipe using other vegetables like peas or pumkin but asaparagus is my favourite..

Ingredients

• 200 grams of Arborio or other risotto rice
• Half an onion finely chopped
• 450 gm or 1lb of green asparagus, cut so that the stalks are separate from tips I leave 2 inches at the tip and cut the stalks up (not the woody part)
• 1 litre of chicken stock
• Knob of butter
• Salt and pepper
• Small glass of white wine
• Parmesan, grated


Method

• Melt butter and cook onion on low heat until translucent
• Add rice and stir for 2 minutes
• Add wine and stir until it is almost evaporated
• Add some stock and stir until almost evaporated
• Continue this process until rice is cooked but still al dente. I find this takes around 40 minutes whatever it says on the packet
• 10- 15 minutes before the end place asparagus in boiling salted water and cook until al dente making sure though that the stalks are properly cooked. You may want to put them into the water a little before the tips
• Keep tips warm and liquidise stalks with a little stock
• When rice is ready, mix in asparagus puree and two tablespoons of grated parmesan
• Serve risotto with asparagus tips on top. It looks prettier and prevents them getting damaged by stirring them into the risotto.
• Grated parmesan to taste