Nigel Slater's book The Kitchen Diaries is fun to read. Well I suppose it's fun if you like a memoir /cookbook sort of book. This one is my favorites. I'm hoping to acquite Notes from the Larder one day as it's a similar format.
Melt the butter in a wide, high-sided pan over a very low heat. Peel the Chop the onion finely. If your onion is larger than a golf ball you will only need half of it. Let it soften in the butter, stirring it from time to time so that it does not color.
Stir in the rice, folding the grains over in the butter with a spoon. Then pour in the wine or vermouth. Let it bubble down until the liquid has pretty much disappeared, then chop the asparagus into short lengths and set aside. Add a hefty ladleful of hot stock, turn the heat up a bit, then let the liquid almost disappear, before adding the pieces of asparagus and a second ladle of stock. Continue adding the stock as it boils down to almost nothing, until it has all gone. Stir the rice often, grating and squeezing the lemon as you go.
Season with salt, pepper, the lemon zest and juice, and continue cooking till the rice is creamy but has a little bite left in it. Stir in the cheese and eat immediately.
Note: it makes a huge difference using fresh parmesan instead of the containers of dried we use on pasta. It was the best risotto we ever made using the fresh.
I've never had risotto but I bet I would like it!
ReplyDeleteVicki, it's so worth it. You can add veggies or not.
DeleteI love risotto and have made it several times using the stovetop method, but then I discovered (maybe from the Barefoot Contessa/Ina Garten) that you can prepare it in the oven! It's so much easier and tastes just as good. If you want to try that recipe some day, click here.
ReplyDeleteLes, I have never heard of an oven method! I am intrigued. Thanks for the recipe.
DeleteI have not made risotto for years. It looks really good and I should think about making it.
ReplyDeleteJudee, it's a great side or main, depending on what you add to it.
DeleteI am a risotto freak! I rarely pass it up in a restaurant and I make it at home every few weeks.
ReplyDeleteBFR - I see why you do, it's so creamy and delicious.
DeleteYou are so right about using REAL parmesan cheese, always. The stuff in the cardboard cylinders isn't even cheese -- it's part cardboard to "preserve" it or something.
ReplyDeleteI would love to eat your risotto!
best... mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Mae, it was defintely so much better. I had no idea.
DeleteHonestly I have never made Risotto, but this looks like one I should try...
ReplyDeleteMelynda, it's a snap. You have some great recipes on your site and yuo clearly love cooking so, you will enjoy this one if you try it.
DeleteWe love a baked risotto. Just mix it and then put it in the oven. I am thinking we could try to do one of those with similar flavours to the one that you suggest here.
ReplyDeleteMarg, I have to try the baked versioin one day.
DeleteI love risotto but haven't made it in ages! I've thought about trying a baked recipe so might try that. You can have my share of asparagus though!
ReplyDeleteKatherine, you could substitute another veggie if you'd like or just have plain rice.
DeleteI love fresh Parmesan but it's dangerous to have around because it's so easy to shave off pieces and eat directly from the package! Our asparagus in the yard has just started being ready to pick so we had it in a scallops primavera dish the other night. I have all the ingredients for this recipe except the chicken stock, so hmmm, maybe I should make it for Sunday dinner. It looks delish!
ReplyDeleteLaurie, I am jealous of your fresh asparagus! I hope you make this and enjoy. Can't go wrong with Nigel.
DeleteThe perfect spring risotto! Looks so creamy:)
ReplyDeleteKim, it was! That fresh Parmesan was amazing.
DeleteCan't top asparagus in the spring, creamy risotto does it for me!
ReplyDelete