Summer Risotto

I been neglecting my blog, this recipe is one I've had ready since
the summer when there was a glut of fresh asparagus in the shops,
but they are still selling it even this late in the year.
Its not a typical Irish food but a delicate delight to give a taste of freshness.

Another quirk of the Irish is that we see the use of rice OK in Chinese and Indian cooking but find it a bit strange in European food.

I eat it as a main dish but the Italians have it as a starter to fill you up before the main meat dish, so it's naturally vegetarian. Of course there are many variations of this dish depending on which rice you use and which fillings and type of stock you use to cook but its best to use fresh and in season veg if you can.

Ingredients :

• 1 litre vegetable  stock

• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil • 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
• 600g risotto rice
• 250ml dry white wine
• 1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends removed and discarded

• 340g of peas 

• 100g butter
• 1-2 handfuls of freshly grated hard cheese
• a bunch of fresh mint, leaves picked and finely chopped

Chop your asparagus (discard woody ends), keeping the tips whole and blanch in salted water until tender, weigh out the rest of your ingredients ready to mix into your risotto. 

Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Add the oil and butter in a separate large pan, add the shallots and cook very gently until soft without colouring. Then add rice turn up the heat. Don't let the rice or veg catch on the bottom of the pan, so keep it moving.

Straight after add wine. The idea is to reduce the
wine and 
concentrate its flavour, then add the asparagus 
stalks(keep the tips for later) and half the peas.

Add the stock to the rice a ladle at a time, stirring (this activates the starch in the rice) and waiting until it has been fully absorbed before adding the next. Turn the heat down to low so the rice doesn't cook too quickly. This should take about 14 to 15 minutes and give you rice that is beginning to soften but is still a little al dente.

Then add the add blanched asparagus heads, the rest of the peas and the mint. (add the mint to taste )

Turn off the heat,  beat in your butter and mint,  check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.