Asparagus And Spring Pea Risotto Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)
• When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.
• Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

Steps:

• Bring stock to a boil in a medium saucepan; turn off heat.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in another medium saucepan. Add onion; cook, stirring constantly, until translucent, 6 to 7 minutes. Add rice; cook, stirring constantly, until edges of grains are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise heat to medium-high. Add wine; cook, stirring constantly, until wine has completely evaporated.
• Add 1/2 cup stock; cook, stirring constantly, until stock has been completely absorbed and a wooden spoon drawn through rice leaves a trail in its wake. Continue adding about 4 more cups stock, 1/2 cup at a time, waiting for each addition to be absorbed before adding the next. (It should take about 13 minutes.)
• Stir in the asparagus. Add 1/2 to 1 cup more stock, in same manner as described above. About 1 minute before risotto is done, stir in the peas. Risotto is done when liquid looks creamy and grains are cooked but still slightly firm in centers. (The total cooking time will be 16 to 20 minutes.)
• Remove from heat; stir in 1/2 cup stock. (You may have stock left over.) Stir in zest, juice, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, parsley, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with more cheese.

Steps:

• In a medium stockpot, add the chicken stock and heat until warm.
• In a large stockpot set over medium heat, heat the oil until shimmering, about 2 minutes. Saute the mushrooms, shallots and asparagus until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, 1 more minute. Add the arborio rice and a pinch of salt. Saute for 2 minutes. Then add the wine and cook until the liquid is absorbed, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the stock 1 cup at a time and cook, stirring after each addition, until all of the liquid is absorbed. Season periodically with salt and pepper to taste. (This process takes about 30 minutes of cooking and constant stirring.)
• Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the arugula, peas, cream, Parmesan, butter and lemon juice. Top with the mint and serve.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Prepare a bowl of ice water. Add the asparagus to the pot and blanch, just until bright green, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking, about 30 seconds. Transfer the asparagus to a colander to drain. Repeat with the English peas, sugar snap peas, and fiddleheads.
• Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and sauté just until translucent, about 30 seconds. Add the rice and stir until opaque, about 1 minute.
• Stir the wine into the rice, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring periodically, until the rice absorbs the wine, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 cup/240ml stock and 2 teaspoons salt, return to a simmer, and let cook until the liquid has been absorbed. Spread the rice mixture on a baking sheet and set aside until you are ready to finish the dish, or skip this step and keep cooking, continuing with adding the hot stock.
• About 15 minutes before you're ready to serve, return the rice mixture to the sauté pan and cook over medium heat. Stir 1 cup/240ml of the hot stock into the rice mixture and cook until the moisture has been nearly absorbed. Season with salt and pepper. Repeat for the remaining 3 cups/720ml of stock, adding 1 cup/240ml at a time. When you still see liquid pooling here and there in the pan, remove from the heat and stir in the blanched vegetables and the Parmesan. Quickly stir in the pesto and serve.
• Store risotto, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Do Ahead
• To prepare the risotto ahead of time, cook the vegetables and the rice up until you add the wine and 1 cup/240ml of stock. Once the rice has absorbed the liquid, spread the rice and onion mixture on a baking sheet to hold until you're ready to finish cooking. Just before dinner, return the rice to the pot and resume cooking until done.

Steps:

• Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add salt. Add the asparagus tips, and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, 1 to 2 minutes, depending on size. Drain asparagus, and set aside.
• If using fresh peas, bring another small saucepan of water to a boil. Add salt and peas, and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, 5 to 10 minutes, depending on size. Drain peas and set aside. (Asparagus and peas may be cooked several hours ahead.)
• Heat the stock in a medium saucepan, and keep warm over low heat.
• Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When the butter foams, add the onion, and cook, stirring, until onion begins to color, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice, and stir until it is well coated with the butter and onion, about 1 minute. Add the wine, and stir until it is almost all reduced. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot stock, or just enough to barely cover the rice. Cook, stirring, until the stock has been almost completely absorbed. Continue cooking and stirring the rice in this manner, adding 1/2 cup stock at a time, for about 15 minutes. At this point, the rice should be tender but still a bit firm to the bite.
• Stir the artichokes, asparagus, and peas into the rice, and season lightly with salt. Add the remaining tablespoon butter and the cheese. Mix quickly for 1 to 2 minutes until the butter and the cheese have melted and the rice has a moist, creamy consistency. Taste, and adjust the seasoning; serve immediately with additional cheese sprinkled on top, if desired.

Steps:

• Snap the woody ends off the asparagus stalks and roughly bash with the blade of a knife. Tip the ends into a saucepan along with the reserved pea pods, if using, and parmesan rind, if you have it. Pour over 700ml of the stock, set the pan over a low heat and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, cut the tips off the asparagus, set aside, and slice the stalks into rounds.
• Bring the rest of the stock to the boil in a small saucepan, tip in the asparagus tips and cook for 1 min. Scoop out into a bowl using a slotted spoon and set aside. Tip the rest of the asparagus and the peas into the pan and simmer for 3-4 mins until just tender. Tip half the cooked veg and the stock from the pan into a blender and blitz until frothy and green. Return to the pan with the whole vegetables and set aside.
• Heat most of the oil in a large, shallow saucepan over a low heat and cook the onions for 8-10 mins until soft but not translucent. Stir in the rice to coat in the onions and oil, turn the heat up slightly and cook for 3 mins. Pour over the wine or vermouth, then stir and simmer until the liquid has evaporated.
• Add a ladleful of stock from the large pan, avoiding the pea pods and asparagus ends, stirring vigorously and only adding more when the first ladle has been absorbed by the rice. Keep adding stock in this way until it is absorbed, the pan is dry and the rice is al dente (about 15 mins), then add the green stock, along with the veg, and cook for 3-4 mins more until the rice is just tender and you can see the bottom of the pan when you draw a spoon through it.
• Remove from the heat and leave to stand for a minute, then beat in the butter, most of the cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice and some seasoning. Stir until the cheese has melted and the risotto is thick. Serve in warmed bowls topped with the asparagus tips, pea shoots (if using), the rest of the cheese and a drizzle of olive oil.