Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cooking. Show all posts

19 August 2020

Asparagus risotto


 I've been making risottos for many years, ever since enjoying a seafood risotto in a charming restaurant over looking a harbour in Sicily. However, lockdown gave me ample time to experiment with new flavours, and so I turned my attention to asparagus.

I wanted the rice to take on a green colour, so after researching countless recipes online, I opted for blanching trimmed and chopped stems, then plunging then into an ice bath to maintain the bright green colour. Next, I blended them into a purée to add towards the end of cooking the rice. The water from the blanching I used to make the chicken broth the rice is cooked in. The tips I cooked until just tender and threw them on top once the risotto was done.  The dish in the picture also included bacon pieces.

I usually use olive oil to soften the onions but this time I used butter, which together with adding the parmesan at the end, produced a wonderful creamy texture.

I'm confident that I can now add this to my repertoire, along with versions made with red wine and beetroot, cherry tomatoes and basil, mushrooms, and the seafood staple.