Asparagus Lemon Mint and Pea Risotto

Risotto is one of my all time favourite meals, as well as being one of my favourite meals to cook. There’s just something about that al dente rice with the creaminess that surrounds it.

There are a couple of risotto recipes that are real favourites and tend to be the starting point for me to adapt my risotto based on the ingredients I have at the time. My absolute favourite risotto recipe would be the Sausage and Pea Risotto from Giorgio Locatelli’s ‘Made In Italy’. This cookbook is invaluable to anyone wanting to make risotto, not only are there many risotto recipes in there but Mr Locatelli also delves deeply into each stage of the process. Todays recipe is adapted from another of my favourite recipes, Jamie Oliver’s Asparagus, Mint and Lemon Risotto from ‘Cook with Jamie’. This recipe is a great spring recipe especially with the British asparagus season approaching.

Asparagus Lemon Mint and Pea Risotto

Serves 4
Ingredients
1L hot Vegetable Stock (you may need more or less depending on how the risotto cooks)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Small knob of Butter
½ Large Onion (finely diced)
300g Risotto rice (I used Carnaroli)
125ml White Wine
1 bunch of Asparagus (tips kept whole, stalks cut into discs woody ends discarded)
50g Butter
50g grated Parmesan
Bunch of Mint (leaves picked and chopped)
Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon
100g Frozen Peas
Directions
1. Put a large pan over a low heat. Add the oil and the knob of butter. When the butter has melted add the onion and cook gently over the low heat until the onion softens without colouring.
2. Add the rice to the pan and turn up the heat a little. The rice should almost sizzle as the outside of the grains toast. Keep stirring the rice and onion so that they don’t catch on the bottom of the pan.
3. Pour in the wine and keep stirring, the alcohol will evaporate. When the wine has gone add the first ladle full of the stock. Stir until the stock has been absorbed and continue the process of adding a ladle of stock once the previous stock has been absorbed. When you add the second ladle of stock add the asparagus.
4. Continue adding and stirring the stock until it is absorbed. When the rice is beginning to soften away from the chalky stage add the frozen peas.
5. When the rice is cooked to that al dente stage take the pan off the heat. Add the butter, parmesan, mint, lemon juice and most of the lemon zest. Stir this into the rice, add salt and pepper if required. Put a lid on the pan and rest for 1 minute.

6. After the minute give it a very quick stir and then ladle onto the plate. Sprinkle the rest of the lemon zest over the top and drizzle with olive oil then serve and enjoy.


taken by: http://paulsfoodworld.com/asparagus-lemon-mint-and-pea-risotto/