RISOTTO CON PUNTE DI ASPARAGI!
It's official, Bruno has turned into the "risotto king", a couple of weeks ago it was Barolo and porcini risotto
which was delicious so this week we decided to cook risotto with something that's in season. To be honest we're not that educated as to what's in season, I just pick things up from magazines and food programmes. I think probably most people in Ireland are the same as we don't have much seasonal produce.
Asparagus is one vegetable that is very much based on seasonality. It is only in season from late April until mid June and in Italy this is the only time they eat it. For the other 10 months of the year it is just not possible to buy it unlike here where it's available all year round. The main regions where aparagus is grown in Italy are Emilia-Romagna, the Veneto and Piedmont. There are actually 3 types of asparagus, white, purple and green. I've only ever seen the green in Ireland. In Italy the most popular way of serving it is boiled with butter and parmesan cheese, in Milan you might be served it with a fried egg on top. We often have this ourselves as a "contorno" with fish or meat.
Good fresh asparagus should be firm. You can check the quality by bending a spear and it should snap in the natural place just below halfway - if it simply bends and doesn't snap then it isn't fresh. A big apology to all you people buying asparagus in Superquinn, it was me who left a couple of bunches with pieces snapped off. I had to check for freshness!!!
I know a lot of people are afraid of risotto and have probably never made it in their life but it is not as difficult as you think. Give it a try, you'll be surprised at how easy it is!! This recipe is from our cooking bible "The Silver Spoon".
WHAT YOU NEED FOR 2!
- asparagus - I bought one fresh bunch and one pack of spears in Superquinn. Good to see they are using produce from Europe - one was from Thailand and the other from Peru?????
- 1and 1/4 pints veg stock - we had fresh stock from La Cucina but you can use a stock cube.
- 30g butter
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 200g risotto rice - we used Carnaroli
- salt
- freshly grated parmesan cheese.
WHAT TO DO:
- cook the asparagus in a pot of salted boiling water for 10-12 mins
- drain and cut off the tips and chop the stems.
- bring the stock to the boil and switch off.
- Melt 8g of the butter in a pan and heat the tips over a low heat for a couple of mins.
- melt 13g of the butter in a pan with the oil, add the oinion and cook over a low heat for 5 mins, stirring occasionally.
- stir in the rice and cook until the grains are covered in fat and then add chopped stems.
- add a ladle of stock and cook, stirring until it has been absorbed. Keep repeating this until you have used all the stock and it has been absorbed. This will take 18-20 mins.
- when the rice is tender stir in the asparagus tips and the remainder of the butter.
- serve with parmesan on top.
Buon Appetito!
p.s. if you find a strange odour lingering in your bathroom, don't be alarmed it's a good thing because asparagus is detoxifying and a diuretic. Basically it's good for the system!! Check out Laura's lemon tarts for dessert!!
Mary T I added you as a link at long last, been meaning to do it forever!! All publicity welcome, nappies are expensive you know!!! (Comment this)