Asparagus risotto recipe

Ingredients

• For the stock: 1.5 litres water, 5 white peppercorns (whole), 1 onion, 1 carrot, a few tough ends of the asparagus, a small knob of ginger and a handful of parsley
• 500g asparagus
• 60g butter
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 350g arborio rice
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• A cupful of grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ glass wine

Instructions

1. First make the stock by simmering all the ingredients for twenty minutes and straining. Top it up to 1.5 litres with water if you have lost any and put it back into a pan. Discard the solids. Don't worry if you don't have exactly the right ingredients – any vegetables will do, but for this recipe it is essential that you put in some tough stems of artichoke.
2. Cut off the asparagus tips and cook them in boiling water, reserving the rest of the stems, until just tender – it should only take a minute or two.
3. Break the spears where they naturally bend and discard the ends. Finely slice the remaining stems and put to one side.
4. Put the oil and a tablespoon of the butter in a pan and gently heat.
5. Add the chopped onion and fry till golden.
6. Add the rice and stir for two minutes.
7. Turn the heat up and add the wine. Stir and let it sizzle until the wine evaporates, then turn the heat down. Now add in the sliced asparagus.
8. Add the stock slowly – ladle by ladle – and keep stirring until the stock is absorbed. This will take about twenty minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
9. When the rice is tender add in the remaining butter and Parmesan and stir through gently – do not over stir.
10. Add the asparagus tips on top and offer more grated Parmesan to serve.

Recipe by

Carole Mason