Recipe: Asparagus risotto

Asparagus Risotto

Recipe by: Daniele Navarria, Head Chef, Il Cappello di Dolce Amore

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 100 g carnaroli rice (½ cup)
• 80 g green asparagus (¾ cup, chopped)
• 40 g white asparagus (⅓ cup, chopped)
• 20 g shallot (2 tbsp, finely minced)
• 500 ml vegetable stock (2 cups)
• 150 g robiola fondue (⅔ cup)
• 30 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano (⅓ cup)
• 30 g cold butter (2 tbsp)
• 15 g roasted hazelnuts (2 tbsp, chopped)
• Olive oil
• Salt, to taste

Get breaking National news

Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Get Started

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Method

• Prep the asparagus by trimming both asparagus types.
• Peel the white asparagus (important for tenderness).
  Slice into 1–2 cm pieces, keeping tips separate.
  Blanch all pieces in salted boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, then put them in ice water bath. Set aside.
• Keep some of both asparaguses raw to make an asparagus “carpaccio” at the end.
• In a saucepan, warm a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat.
• Add shallot and cook gently until soft and translucent (no colour).
• Once the shallots is cool, add the green blanched asparagus. Then bring to boil and add some vegetable stock. Cook until the vegetable stock is dried out.
• Put the green asparagus into a blender and make a smooth pure, once is done keep inside a water bath.
• Slice as thin as you can the raw asparagus if you have a mandoline could be really helpful and seasoning with salt pepper and olive oil
• In a saucepan, add the carnaroli rice and toast for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until slightly translucent at the edges.
• Begin adding warm vegetable stock, one ladle at a time.
• Stir regularly, allowing each addition to absorb before adding more.
• Continue this for about 14 to 16 minutes.
• Around the 10-minute mark, fold in the asparagus (stems first, tips toward the end).
• Continue cooking until the rice is al dente and creamy.
• Remove from heat. Then stir in the robiola fondue, butter, green asparagus pure and grated parmigiano reggiano.
• Mix until glossy and emulsified. Adjust with a splash of stock if needed.

Plating

• Spoon into bowls.
• Drizzle some olive oil (to taste).
• Finish with chopped roasted hazelnuts.
• And an asparagus “carpaccio” on top.