Nutrition and extra info
Nutrition: Per serving
Ingredients
Asparagus
a-spa-ra-gus
Labour-intensive to grow, asparagus are the young shoots of a cultivated lily plant. They’re…
Olive oil
ol-iv oyl
Probably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It’s…
Butter
butt-err
Butter is a dairy product made from separating whole milk or cream into fat and…
Onion
un-yun
Onions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
Risotto rice
To create an authentic creamy Italian risotto, the use of specialist rice is imperative. It…
Parmesan
parm-ee-zan
Parmesan is a straw-coloured hard cheese with a natural yellow rind and rich, fruity flavour. It…
Method
Snap the woody ends off the asparagus stalks and tip them into a saucepan with the stock. Put on a low heat to very gently simmer. Meanwhile, cut off the tips of the asparagus, add to the stock for exactly 1 min. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Finely slice the rest of the stalks into rounds.
Heat the oil and half the butter in a heavy, wide pan. Cook the onions gently for 5 mins until soft, stirring often. Add the chopped asparagus stalks and cook for 2 mins more. Add the rice and continously stir for a few minutes until it turns semi-transparent and makes a hissing sound.
Stir in the wine, if using – it will evaporate almost immediately. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring between each addition until it is absorbed, about 15 mins.
Try the rice – it should feel just cooked with a slight bite to it. Stir in the asparagus tips and any last dregs of stock and cook for 1 or 2 mins more. Remove from the heat and top with the remaining butter and most of the parmesan. Season generously, cover and leave for a few minutes to settle.
Give the risotto a thorough stir to incorporate the butter and cheese and serve straight away with the remaining parmesan for sprinkling over.
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