Spring Vegetable Risotto
45 - 60 mins
Intermediate
Servings
6
British asparagus is only in season for around six short weeks in May and June. Make the most of it with this great risotto dish, great for also adding leftover veg or cooked meat into.
Ingredients
I cup of frozen peas
Asparagus spears (about 10)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
300g arborio rice
1 litre of stock
Pinch of dried mint
50g grated parmesan
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
Small glass dry white wine
Instructions
Make the stock according to the instructions on the pack. Leave to simmer in a pan while you start the risotto.
Heat the butter and oil in a heavy based pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent.
Add the rice and cook for a couple of minutes until all the grains are coated with oil and starting to turn golden. Pour in the wine and cook down until it becomes fragrant.
Continue to add the stock to the rice until the mixture becomes thick and viscous. Add in the frozen peas towards the end so that they cook in the stock with the rice. When all the stock is added, check the texture of the rice - you may need to add a little more boiling water to get the risotto to the right consistency. But remember, it should be ‘al-dente’, not soft and mushy!
When the risotto is cooked, add a generous pinch of dried mint, some salt and pepper, and the grated parmesan and stir well.
Griddle the reserved asparagus spears to serve on top of the risotto, along with an extra sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
