With the British asparagus season in full swing, usually running from mid-April until the end of June, the Mulberry Restaurant at Oatlands Park Hotel would usually be serving lots of delicious seasonal dishes featuring this tasty green vegetable.
While our doors remain temporarily closed for now, our Head Chef, Mayla, wanted to share his springtime asparagus risotto recipe with you so that you can recreate it at home.
“Our recipe for asparagus risotto with parmesan crisp is full of flavour and simple to make, ideal for a midweek dinner for two.”
ASPARAGUS RISOTTO RECIPE
Ingredients, serves 2:
For the risotto:
- 6 asparagus spears (with the ends trimmed)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 200gm/ 7oz risotto rice
- 250ml white wine
- 50ml vegetable stock
- 25gm unsalted butter
- 75gm parmesan (or similar vegetarian hard cheese)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to flavour
For the parmesan crisp
- 120gm parmesan (or similar vegetarian hard cheese)
Method:
- Bring a pan of water to boil and cook the asparagus for 2 minutes until tender. Drain and allow them to cool, then chop them into small pieces (about 5cm long) and set aside.
- For the risotto, heat the olive oil in a pan and gently fry the shallots and garlic until softened but not coloured. Add in the risotto rice and fry for 1 minute, stirring frequently, until coated in the oil.
- Add the white wine and simmer until absorbed by the risotto rice.
- Add 1 tbsp of hot vegetable stock a ladle at a time, stirring between each spoonful to allow the liquid to be completely absorbed before adding the next – this helps to release the starch from the rice, which gives you a creamy risotto.
TIP: You might not need all of the stock.
- Add the asparagus, butter and parmesan to the risotto. Season to taste with ground salt and pepper and stir well, below placing the lid on to rest for 5 minutes.
- For the parmesan crisp, preheat the oven to 170 °C / 150 °C fan/ Gas mark 3 and line a baking tray with baking paper. Slice the cheese into 6 small piles leaving plenty of space between them. Put them into the oven and bake for 6-8 minutes, until they are golden brown. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool and set.
- To serve, divide the risotto into two serving dishes or pasta bowls and top with the parmesan crisp – enjoy!
Stay safe and we look forward to welcoming you all back to our restaurant at Oatlands Park Hotel soon.
