Spring Delicacy - Asparagus Risotto

Some very early organic asparagus was for sale at Piko Wholefoods when I was in there stocking up on more prosaic foods like oats and rice the other day. It was a scary price, but the spears were big and fat and I was in the mood for a dinner treat. I bought 8 spears, and made them go a long way by making asparagus risotto.

Here's how I did it.

ASPARAGUS RISOTTO
(for two)

Ingredients

8 fat asparagus spears
250g Italian risotto rice (arborio, carnaroli, or vialone nano)
1 T olive oil
knob of butter
1 wineglass dry white wine
a quick vegetable stock made with asparagus trimmings, 1 onion, celery and/or carrot and/or leek, fresh herbs, garlic
half t salt
freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Method

Trim any woody ends from the asparagus, and put them in a stock pot with 1 litre of water, 1 chopped onion, 2 stalks of sliced celery and/or 1 sliced carrot and/or 1 small sliced leek, a big sprig of fresh parsley and small sprig of fresh thyme, a bay leaf, and one or two cloves of chopped garlic. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, and keep hot.

Wash the trimmed asparagus well, and steam or boil it till just tender. (Add the cooking water to the vege stock.) Cut it into bite-sized pieces.
In a heavy frying pan or casserole dish melt the butter and warm the oil.
Add the rice and fry gently, stirring all the time, for a minute or two.
Add the wine and cook, stirring, until it has almost evaporated. Add some stock (2-3 ladles full), the salt, and cook until the stock has almost evaporated.

Keep adding stock (and stirring) in this way until the rice is cooked to your liking. Grind in some black pepper, to taste, and stir in as much Parmesan cheese as you fancy. Add the sliced asparagus to the pan and toss it through the rice. Cover the pan with a lid and leave it to heat through for 3-5 minutes.

Serve at once, in hot bowls,  OR
take the cooking pan to the table, and serve the risotto garnished with the tips of the asparagus, which have been reserved.
In both cases, serve extra Parmesan cheese on the side