Lemon asparagus risotto

It’s asparagus season here. Despite the stinky pee, it is one of my favourite foods, especially fresh green asparagus. 

Unfortunately, my husband is not as keen on the green, so I can’t put it in everything. If possible, I also try and work out a way to have it, but for him to have only a little bit, or none, if he prefers.

This easy, lemon risotto with asparagus recipe is great at this time of year. It is loosely based on a lemon pasta recipe from Donna Hay (one of my favourite chefs). I say risotto with asparagus because the asparagus is used more like a garnish, so that my husband can add as much or as little as he wants. Of course, the asparagus can be added and cooked with the rice, if you all like asparagus.

The recipe also works well with bacon (as I did here) or chicken or just as it is. Again, both can be added to the pan to brown and cooked with the rice, or they can be used as a ‘garnish’. 

Some people like to use a pot for risotto. I prefer to use a broader pan. This one has been my favourite risotto pan (and my favourite for many other things, too) for a number of years.

Lemon asparagus risotto

Serves 3
Time: approx. 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 small onions or 4 spring onions
• Approx. 50g butter
• 1 cup (approx. 200g) Arborio rice
• chicken stock (about 500ml)
• 1 lemon (organic if possible)
• 2 egg yolks
• 200ml (single pouring) cream
• about 50g grated parmesan
• 1 bunch of green asparagus
• bacon or chicken pieces, if desired

Method

1. Cut the onions as you like. Melt the butter in the pan on medium heat and add the onions. If you want to cook the chicken, bacon or asparagus with the risotto, turn the heat up and add it to the pan at this stage and cook until brown. Turn the heat back down to medium before adding the rice. Stir until the rise is coated in the butter and starts to go slightly glassy.
2. Add the stock one ladle at a time. When the first ladle goes in, stir well until all the rice has soaked up all the stock. Add more stock and stir. After that, you can almost ignore the risotto and only stir it occasionally, as you add stock. 
3. Grate the lemon rind and add it to the risotto. Stir. Continue adding the stock to the rice until the rice has reached the desired consistency. 
4. Meanwhile, cut the asparagus spears into smaller pieces, trimming the harder end. In a separate frypan or grill pan, cook the asparagus in olive oil and/or butter until the asparagus is soft and lightly browned. If you are planning on using bacon or chicken as a garnish, brown it in the same pan. Place in a bowl ready for serving.
5. Whisk the egg yolks in a bowl, add the cream and parmesan and mix together.  Add salt and black pepper, then the juice from the lemon and mix well.
6. Remove the rice from the heat and stir in the egg and lemon mixture until well combined.

Serve and enjoy!