ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

ASPARAGUS  RISOTTO:        EUROPE


INGREDIENTS:        ( serves  4 )

500  g asparagus
1  onion, finely chopped
85  g butter
300  g arborio rice
200  g garden peas
750  ml  hot chicken or vegetable stock
55  g freshly  grated  parmesan  cheese
Freshly  ground black pepper, to taste

METHOD:

• Gently fry the onion in the butter until it becomes translucent. Add the rice and cook for a couple of minutes on a medium heat, stirring so that it gets a good coating of butter.
• Add a ladle of hot stock at a time and continue stirring until all the stock has been absorbed. Meanwhile, steam the asparagus for 3-6 minutes, or until tender when poked gently with a knife.
• Chop roughly once it is cooked. Steam the peas for about 10 minutes and drain. Add a knob of butter, the asparagus, half the parmesan and a good grinding of black pepper to the risotto and give it a stir.
• Serve your risotto in warm bowls with a sprinkling of parmesan on top of each serving.

TIPS : You can replace the asparagus with Swiss chard, collard greens, zucchini, butternut squash and pumpkin. Use high- quality short- grain rice, extra -virgin olive oil, homemede stock if possible, and good parmesan cheese. Don't put together strong- tasting vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, roasted red peppers or beets, since the flavour can overwhelm the taste of the risotto.