Asparagus season is in full swing, so now is the ideal time to try our creamy asparagus risotto recipe!  Our secret: cook the asparagus for 7-8 minutes in boiling water, then mix the stalks with a little stock and olive oil and stir in towards the end of the rice cooking time. Fancy trying? Let’s go!

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 handfuls of arborio or carnaroli rice per person (or about 320g for 4 pax)

• About 15 green asparagus spears

• Half a glass of white wine

• The juice of half a lemon

• Grated Parmesan cheese

• Salt

• Extra virgin olive oil (for example Stoica Leccino or Guadagnolo Primus)

Preparation:

1. Cut off the whiter, harder end of the asparagus spears.

2. In a large pot of salted water, boil the asparagus for 6 to 7 minutes.

3. Remove the asparagus from the water and cool them off directly under cold water to stop the cooking process.

4. Do not discard the cooking water: you can use it as stock to cook the rice.

5. Cut off the tips of the asparagus and set them aside.

6. Then cut the main part of the asparagus spears into slices.

7. Put a little olive oil in a pan for the rice.

8. Add the rice and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Add the half glass of white wine and

10. Cook while stirring, adding every once in a while a laddle of the asparagus cooking water (which you keep on a low heat)

11. Meanwhile, in a blender, put the asparagus slices, a drizzle of olive oil, and a tablespoon of the asparagus cooking water. Mix until you have a smooth coulis.

12. When the rice is cooked, add the asparagus coulis.

13. Finish cooking and beat the rice (mantecatura) with a generous drizzle of olive oil, grated Parmesan cheese and the juice of half a lemon.

14. Season to taste with salt and pepper, add a drizzle of olive oil for this decadent shine, and serve immediately with the asparagus tips.