Ingredients
- FOR THE RISOTTO BASE
- 1 litre organic vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 4-5 sticks celery, trimmed and finely chopped
- 600 g risotto rice
- 250ml dry white wine
- FOR THE RISOTTO
- 2 bunches asparagus, woody ends removed and discarded
- 700 ml organic vegetable or chicken stock
- 50 g butter
- 1 small handful Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1 bunch fresh mint, leaves picked and finely chopped
- 2 lemons, zest and juice of
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil
ASPARAGUS, LEMON AND MINT RISOTTO
Method
- Start by finely chopping the asparagus stalks into tiny discs to just below the tips, keeping the tips whole
- Then start making your basic risotto recipe
- Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan
- Put the olive oil in a separate large pan, add the onion and celery and cook very gently for about 15 minutes, without colouring, until soft
- Add the rice (it will sizzle) and turn up the heat
- Don't let the rice or veg catch on the bottom of the pan, so keep it moving
- Quickly pour in the wine
- You will smell the alcohol immediately, so keep stirring all the time until it has evaporated
- Add the stock to the rice a ladle at a time, stirring and waiting until it has been fully absorbed before adding the next
- Turn the heat down to low so the rice doesn't cook too quickly, otherwise the outside of each grain will be stodgy and the inside hard and nutty (you don't want to cook it too slowly either, or it will turn into rice pudding!) and continue to add
- This should take about 14 to 15 minutes and give you rice that is beginning to soften but is still a little al dente
- Put to one side
- Put a large saucepan on a medium to high heat and pour in half the stock, followed by all your risotto base and the finely sliced asparagus stalks and the tips
- Stirring all the time, gently bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer until almost all the stock has been absorbed
- Add the rest of the stock a ladleful at a time until the rice and asparagus are cooked
- You might not need all your stock
- Be careful not to overcook the rice - check it throughout cooking to make sure it's a pleasure to eat
- It should hold its shape but be soft, creamy and oozy, and the overall texture should be slightly looser than you think you want it
- Turn off the heat, beat in the butter and Parmesan, mint, almost all the lemon zest and all the juice
- Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed
- Put a lid on the pan and leave the risotto to rest for a minute
- Serve with a drizzle of olive oil and a scattering of lemon juice
Comments
This is such a simple, clean and delicious risotto
Thanks to Palmerston Asparagus for providing the asparagus, to Otago Preservation Pantry - vegetable stock, and to Janefield Paeonies and Hydroponics for the herbs used in the demonstration at the market
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