A bright and warming Spring recipe – Asparagus Risotto truly celebrates… Asparagus. 😀 (As someone who was not a fan of Risotto, this dish surprised me.) This Risotto is creamy and luxurious, using both blanched and pureed asparagus and intact asparagus tips. You can use green asparagus yielding a nice bright green Risotto, or white asparagus for a lighter version. Top the Risotto with a fried shallot, garlic and pine nut oil to bring your Risotto to the next level.
A Spring Recipe: Aspragus Risotto
So, fun fact: I am not, or rather, I was not, a huge of of asparagus. That was primarily because I only had it maybe two different ways in my life. It was never really exciting, and not a vegetable I ever really sought.
However, I wanted to challenge myself with using seasonal vegetables. So far, I’ve made a pea-forward dish (my Orecchiette with Creamy Pea Sauce), and a Carrot Pilaf (recipe to come).
I have this thing about layering the same ingredients in different ways, so the asparagus is highlighted as a puree (after being blanched in lemon water), and with the tips, added towards the end of cooking.
The pureed asparagus makes this Risotto extremely creamy, so if you don’t like cheese, you don’t need it for its creamy effect.
Fried Shallot, Garlic and Pine Nut Oil
As I mentioned, I love layering ingredients. The Risotto has shallot and garlic as its aromatic base, but I wanted to add them in a different form, in addition to the pine nuts.
I considered frying the shallots and garlic, and just roasting the pine nuts. I also considered creating a sauce out of these ingredients, in addition to herbs – something between a pesto and gremolata.
But, I landed on this – a dressing oil, and I am very glad I did.
Sliced shallots and garlic are lightly fried in olive oil with chili flakes (if you want that kick), until they just begin to turn golden. Pine nuts are added just at the end and this aromatic, textural finishing oil is drizzled on the Risotto.
Substitutes for Asparagus Risotto
- You can use green or white asparagus. I have only made this recipe with fresh asparagus. If you use canned or frozen asparagus, let me know how it goes! Cooking times will probably vary.
- You can use onion instead of shallot. The taste will be stronger. For a large shallot, I’d do a small yellow onion.
- Rice specific to Risotto will yield a better result. You can try using other starchy rice types (e.g. short grain rice) but the results will be different. I wouldn’t recommend long grain rice like Jasmine or Basmati.
- To make this vegan, omit the cheese and butter, or use plant-based substitutes.
Asparagus Risotto with Fried Shallot Oil
Description
A bright and warming Spring recipe - Asparagus Risotto truly celebrates... Asparagus. :D This Risotto is creamy and luxurious, using both blanched and pureed asparagus and intact asparagus tips. You can use green asparagus yielding a nice bright green Risotto, or white asparagus for a lighter version. Top the Risotto with a fried shallot, garlic and pine nut oil to bring your Risotto to the next level.
This recipe serves 2. Multiply for more servings.
Ingredients for Asparagus Risotto
Asparagus Risotto
To Finish Risotto
Fried Shallot and Pine Nut Oil
Instructions
Prepare the Asparagus
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Prepare the asparagus. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Salt heavily and cut a few slices of lemon rind and add to the water.
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Trim the firm bottoms of the asparagus (about 1 in / 2.5 cm) and discard. Cut the tips, rinse and set aside. Chop the remaining asparagus (the middle) into 2-inch / 5 cm pieces. Rinse.
Most asparagus will have very firm/tough bottoms. You should easily be able to feel this by trying to bend the bottom. You want to keep the portion of the asparagus that feels slightly softer and more flexible.
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Blanch the 2-inch / 5 cm pieces of chopped asparagus in the boiling water for about 5-7 minutes. Taste at the 5 minutes mark. They should be somewhat soft, but a little firm.
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Save about 1/2 cup of the asparagus water and drain the rest. Allow to cool for a bit and then puree in a blender or with a hand blender.
Make the Risotto
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Heat olive oil and butter in a large sauce pan. Add sliced shallot and garlic and cook on medium-low heat until soft and transluscent.
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Add the rice. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 2-3 minutes, until much of the rice is somewhat transluscent.
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Add the white wine, if using. Stir and cook until the wine has evaporated.
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Add enough vegetable stock to just cover the rice and stir constantly.
Stirring constantly will slowly release the starches, creating the creamy risotto.
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When the stock is almost fully absorbed, add more stock to just cover the rice and repeat. After 15 minutes, begin to check doneness by carefully tasting a grain of rice. You want the rice to be semi-soft on the outside with a slight bite, just before it reaches al dente.
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At this point, add the asparagus tips in and cook about 3 or so minutes until they're soft. Then add the pureed asparagus and stir through until fully combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Turn off the heat, add the cold butter and grated cheese to your liking. Add more salt and pepper, if desired, and any herbs.
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Plate the Risotto, adding more cheese, salt and pepper or herbs if you like, and drizzle the Fried Shallot and Pine Nut Oil (below) over the Risotto.
How to Make the Fried Shallot and Pine Nut Oil
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Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a small sauce pan on medium heat (not high).
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Once the oil is hot, lower the heat slightly add in the sliced shallots and stir frequently. Cook for about 3-4 minutes and then add the sliced garlic and chili flakes, if using. Stir frequently.
Watch the heat, because the shallot and garlic can burn easily.
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Once the shallots and garlic begin to turn golden, add the pine nuts. Remove from heat.
Everything will continue to cook in the residual heat.
Recipe Notes
Substitutes for Asparagus Risotto
- You can use green or white asparagus. I have only made this recipe with fresh asparagus. If you use canned or frozen asparagus, let me know how it goes! Cooking times will probably vary.
- You can use onion instead of shallot. The taste will be stronger. For a large shallot, I'd do a small yellow onion.
- Rice specific to Risotto will yield a better result. You can try using other starchy rice types (e.g. short grain rice) but the results will be different. I wouldn't recommend long grain rice like Jasmine or Basmati.
- To make this vegan, omit the cheese and butter, or use plant-based substitutes.
