Risotto with Asparagus and Peas
It's officially asparagus season, how exciting. Asparagus is one of the most eaten vegetables in our house, mainly because of my daughter. She's loved it ever since I gave her a bag of it to eat at the zoo at 2 years old.
If you're wanting to grow these beautiful green spears, you'll need a bit of patience. It takes three years for the crowns to establish. If you pick from them in year one and two, yields will deplete. It's a bit like rhubarb in that sense. But now is the best time to plant them. Just pick a good forever spot with lots of sunshine and well draining soil.
This risotto couldn't be simpler, but is definitely one for a patient cook. You have to be invested when cooking risotto. Ladling in stock a little at a time and keeping on top of stirring can become laborious if not in the mood.
Risotto with Asparagus and Peas
Serves: 2Prep time: 5 minsCook time: 25 minsTotal time: 30 mins
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 shallots or 1 small onion, finely chopped
- Vegetable stock cube
- 750ml water
- 175g arborio rice (risotto rice)
- 30g unsalted butter
- 40g hard Italian cheese, grated
- 5 spears of asparagus, chopped into 1 inch sections
- Juice of half a lemon
- Pinch of salt
- 100g frozen peas
Prawns would work lovely in this if you have some.
Directions
- Add chopped shallots or onion if using, to a heavy based medium pan with the butter, cook until softening. Then add the minced garlic and risotto rice, cook for a few minutes until rice appears translucent.
- Make stock with boiling water and add a ladle of it at a time, leaving the rice to absorb the liquid between each one. Stir frequently.
- With your last ladle of stock, add the chopped asparagus and cook for a further five minutes. Stirring frequently.
- Finally, stir through the peas, lemon juice and grated Parmesan cheese, stir for two minutes and serve.