Before focusing on the recipe, a few tips for risotto preparation.
Risotto making might seem complicated and time consuming but with a little practice you will develop the “eye” for the right consistency...
1. choose the right riso type: Carnaroli rice is my favorite: it has higher starch content along with a firmer texture than the arborio rice. This gives us a creamier risotto, which is not prone to overcooking. The grains also tend to retain their shape a lot better.
2. add one cup of vegetable broth at a time and stir frequently- if you add too much water/broth altogether risotto won’t be as flavourful because you will end up boiling the asparagus , if you add too little or leave it unattended it will stick to the pan causing a lot of frustration.
3. be generous with olive oil (I personally don’t use butter) and parmigiano but be judicious with salt as parmigiano is quite salty. Better to adjust salt half way through.
I like to give this risotto a creamy texture simply by pureeing the asparagus. Initially it was a trick so my kids would eat asparagus but now I like it better myself ;)
Ingredients for 4 people
- 3-4 tbsp Gaia's Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 small (or 1 large) asparagus bunch
- 2 shallots
- 3 sage leaves, fresh
- salt,
- 360 gr. rice- Carnaroli type
- 1 lt. of vegetable broth (preferred) - or if you don’t have it use boiling water and adjust salt amount accordingly
- grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1. wash asparagus, remove the white part at the end. Cut them in 1 inch long segments and put tips aside.
2. . Warm up the olive oil for a minute with the sage leaves, (low- medium heat).
3. Add the chopped shallots and keep the pot covered at medium heat until soft.
4. Add the asparagus and 1/2 tsp of kosher salt; stir it for 2-3 minutes at medium heat. In the meantime bring vegetable broth to a boil (I make it using 1 ripe tomato cut in halves, 1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, 1/2 shallot and a little salt).
5. Add 2 cups broth, cover and keep at medium-low heat until asparagus is tender .
6. Once broth has evaporate, puree asparagus with an immersion blender until creamy.
Add rice, stir it for 1 min and start adding boiling broth 1 cup at the time. Wait until the water is almost all absorbed before adding the next cup of boiling water/broth. Cook rice for 8 min, then add the asparagus tips and continue until rice is fully cooked (follow cooking time on the package). It’s important that you keep the pot uncovered, medium-high heat and stir often to avoid the rice sticking to the pot. When you are half way through, adjust salt and add a pinch or two of black pepper if you like.
6. Once rice is fully cooked (should still be moist), turn off the pot, add grated parmigiano and cover it for 2 minutes.
Serve it with a little (or a lot) of parmigiano. I usually like to pair it with a chilled white wine- the herbaceus taste of asparagus pairs wonderfully with Sauvignon Blanc.
Buon risotto!