Asparagus & Mushroom Risotto
I believe everyone should have a delicious Risotto recipe for times when only Italian comfort will do. Risotto originates from the north of Italy and consist of Arborio rice cooked in chicken, vegetable or beef broth with onions, garlic, parmesan and wine - delicious. Yes, it takes a bit of time but the reward is silky, creamy and guaranteed comfort. Although equally delicious as this vegetarian version, I often add cooked prawns or roasted chicken when serving this for dinner. I use 100g of uncooked rice per person and 300ml of stock for each 100g rice.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 onion (finely diced)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 250 g portabellini mushrooms (roughly sliced)
- 1 tsp thyme (preferably fresh, else dried)
- ⅔ cup white wine
- 170 g asparagus spears (or tips, chopped in thirds)
- 400 g Arborio rice (risotto)
- 1.2 l broth or stock (any)
- zest & juice of a lemon
- ½ cup parmesan (finely grated)
- ⅓ cup cream (optional)
- 1 tsp parsley (optional, fresh, roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Over high heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a heavy-based pan and sauté the asparagus for no longer than 3 minutes. Once they turn bright green, remove them from the pan and place aside. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle over half of the lemon zest and juice. Turn down the heat.At the same time, bring 1.2L of stock and the remaining lemon juice to a simmer and keep warm over the small burner.
- Over medium heat, add the remaining olive oil and butter to the same pan and gently sauté the onions for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent. You do not want to brown the onions. Add the mushrooms and thyme and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Add the garlic and white wine. Cook gently for another 2 minutes. Add the rice and fry for 2 mninutes more.
- With the heat on medium, start adding the warm stock, one ladle at a time. Using a wooden spoon, stir and "massage" the rice gently and continously, ensuring all the liquid has been absorbed before adding the next ladle of stock. Patience is key - never add more than a ladle full at a time. When you have added half of the stock, return the asparagus with all it cooking juices to the pan. Continue the process until all the stock is added and the rice is cooked and creamy. This may take up to 25 minutes. If all the stock is added and the rice isn't cooked yet, use boiling water to finish the cooking process. Note: At this stage, the rice can easily catch and burn. Hence, continue stirring the rice throughout the cooking process, taking care not to let the pan get too hot.
- Once the rice is cooked, add the cream, parmesan and remaining lemon zest. Stir through and remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper, however, be careful not to over season as stock tend to be salty. Sprinkle over the chopped parsley and serve hot.
Notes
- Do not be tempted to add the stock in large batches as this will affect the cooking process and creamy texture of the rice.
- Risotto can easily burn, so continue stirring throughout the cooking process, never leaving the risotto unattended.
- If all the stock is added and the rice isn't cooked yet, use boiling water to finish the cooking process.
- You can use this base recipe in conjunction with just about any flavor combination.
- Optionally, add a protein such as chicken or prawns to give the dish substance when serving for dinner.
Styling, Recipe & Photography by: Stéan Kruger.
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