Thu, May 24 2012
asparagus, mint and lemon risotto
This is such a simple, clean and delicious risotto. When buying asparagus, have a look around because there are lots of varieties available now - purple-tipped, white, thin straggly Japanese, wild Spanish and dozens of good locally grown English.
Ingredients
for the risotto:
• 1 litre/1¾ pints vegetable or chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 4-5 sticks of celery, trimmed and finely chopped
• 600g/1lb 6oz risotto rice
• 250ml/9fl oz vermouth or dry white wine
• 2 bunches of asparagus, woody ends removed and discarded
• 700ml/1¼ pints hot vegetable or chicken stock
• 100g/3½oz butter
• 1-2 handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus a block for grating
• a bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked and finely chopped
• zest and juice of 2 lemons
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
Nutrition Information
Serving Size 1 (325g)
Recipe makes 6 servings
Calories 323
Calories from Fat 102 (31%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 11.3g 17%
Saturated Fat 5.7g 28%
Monounsaturated Fat 4.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 22mg 7%
Sodium 206mg 8%
Potassium 332mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 46.2g 15%
Dietary Fiber 3.4g 13%
Sugars 1.9g
Protein 10.2g 20%
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Finely chop your asparagus stalks into tiny discs, keeping the tips whole. Then
start making your basic risotto recipe.
Stage 1: Bring the stock to a
simmer in a saucepan. Put the olive oil and butter 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.
Stage 2: Quickly pour in the vermouth or wine. You will smell the
alcohol immediately, so keep stirring all the time until it has evaporated,
leaving the rice with a lovely perfume.
Stage 3: 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 ladlefuls of stock until it has all be
absorbed. 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.
Now
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 your 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, a scattering of lemon zest
and a block of Parmesan on the table.
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