Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 500 g/ 1 lb asparagus (white or green)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 shallots
  • 400 g/ 14 oz/ 1 ¾ cup risotto rice
  • 200 ml/ 6.7 fl.oz/ scant 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 liter/ 34 fl.oz/ 4 ¼ cups good-quality vegetable broth
  • 150 g/ 5.3 oz sugar snap peas
  • 150 g/ 5.3 oz/ 1 cup peas
  • 50 g/ 1.7 oz/ 1/3 cup Parmesan
  • 2 teaspoons butter
  • fine sea salt and pepper
  • 1 small bunch dill

Instruction

  • Remove the lower, woody parts of the white asparagus stalks. Peel the stalks with a vegetable peeler, starting under the head of the stalk. If you are using green asparagus, only remove the woody parts and peel the lowest part of the stalk. Cut each stalk to obtain smaller 3-4 pieces. Keep the heads of the stalks separately.
  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the asparagus stalks for about 5 minutes, add the heads of the asparagus and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes or so. The vegetables should still have a bite, they will continue cooking for some extra 5 minutes together with the rest of the dish. Drain and reserve some of the liquid. If you use green asparagus, cook it for a shorter time, a total of 5-6 minutes.
  • In the meantime chop the shallots very finely. Heat the olive oil in a larger, deeper pan. Cook the shallots until translucent, add the risotto (unwashed), and stir well until the rice is coated in oil. Continue stirring until the risotto becomes translucent as well, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the white wine, stir well, and allow the wine to evaporate.
  • Start adding the vegetable broth, about 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition and adding the next cup when the previous has been completely absorbed by the rice.
  • Continue this process for about 15 minutes, then add the asparagus and both kinds of peas and continue cooking for 5 minutes or until the risotto is done. Check the cooking time written on the risotto packet and add the veggies during the last 5 minutes of the cooking process.
  • If you're out of broth but the risotto isn't quite done, add some of the reserved asparagus water.
  • Add 2/3 of the grated Parmesan, the butter, adjust the taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle the chopped dill on top. Let stand for 5 minutes and serve with the rest of the Parmesan and a green salad.