Ingredients

The following ingredients have 2 Servings
  • 1 bundle of asparagus
  • 3/4 cup Carnaroli rice
  • 1 small onion or shallot
  • 1 garlic clove, whole, lightly smashed
  • a pinch of chili flakes, optional
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup white wine
  • 4-5 cups vegetable broth
  • a pat of butter
  • 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
  • 1/2 lemon, juice and zest

Instruction

  • First, trim the bottom of the asparagus ends (about 2 inches). Wash and clean the asparagus. Cut the tips and set aside. Take the stems and chop into 1 cm length.
  • Pour vegetable broth into a pot and simmer on very low heat.
  • Heat up oil and 1 Tbsp of butter in a medium-deep saute pan. Add in onion, the garlic clove lightly smashed, optional a pinch of chili flakes, and saute for 1-2 minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper.
  • Then throw in rice and coat well, letting it toast for about 1 minute. Pour in white wine, stir, and cook until wine dissipates for about 2 minutes.
  • Toss in chopped asparagus (reserving the tips for later) and mix to blend.
  • Keep heat to a medium setting, and start pouring a couple of ladles of broth into the rice mixture and stir.
  • Once the broth dissipates add one more ladle at a time, stirring frequently after every addition. 
  • Add the tips of the asparagus at half the cooking time. Continue adding broth and stirring for about 18-20 minutes. Taste for donenness and seasoning and adjust eventually. Remove the garlic clove.
  • Turn off heat when there is still a bit of the liquid left, add in a pat of butter, the lemon juice and zest, a good handful of Parmigiano, and stir vigorously until incorporated. Cover and let sit for a couple of minutes. The rice keeps cooking and absorbing the liquid.
  • Lastly, spoon into dishes and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately. Risotto does not like to wait.