Asparagus Mint Lemon Risotto Recipes

LEMON ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add asparagus, cover, and steam until tender, about 5 minutes. Cut asparagus into 1-inch pieces; set aside.
• Heat chicken broth in a saucepan over medium heat; keep at a simmer while preparing risotto.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and celery until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in garlic and arborio rice; cook and stir until rice is lightly toasted, about 5 more minutes.
• Pour white wine into rice mixture, stirring constantly, until liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Stir chicken broth into rice, one ladleful at a time, allowing liquid to absorb completely before adding more while stirring constantly, about 20 minutes. Add asparagus and stir.
• Remove from heat and mix in Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest. Serve immediately.

ASPARAGUS-AND-LEMON RISOTTO

Steps:

• Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in another saucepan. Cook onion, stirring frequently, until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Add rice, cook, stirring, until edges are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring, just until evaporated.
• Add 1/2 cup hot stock; cook, stirring, until almost absorbed. Continue adding 1/2 cup stock in this manner until liquid is creamy and rice is al dente, about 20 minutes total (you may not need to add all the stock). Add asparagus with the last addition of stock, and the peas about 1 minute before risotto is done.
• Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest and juice, parsley, cheese, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with additional cheese and lemon zest.

LEMON MINT RISOTTO

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine peppers, 6 tablespoons water, and 1/4 cup chicken stock; cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until very soft, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat, and puree peppers with liquid in a food processor. Strain through a coarse sieve into a small bowl. Set aside.
• Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil, and add asparagus. Cook until bright green and still slightly crunchy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, and place in an ice bath for several minutes. Drain, and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine remaining 4 3/4 cups chicken stock with sprigs of mint, parsley, and rosemary, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and keep stock at a bare simmer.
• Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a heavy 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, fennel, and garlic, and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until very soft but not browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in rice and coriander, and cook, stirring constantly, until the edges of the rice are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add wine and lemon zest, and cook, stirring constantly, until nearly all the wine is absorbed, about 30 seconds.
• Remove herb sprigs from stock with tongs or a slotted spoon. Add salt and pepper and about 1/2 cup of simmering stock to rice, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until nearly all the stock is absorbed. Continue adding stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to be nearly absorbed before adding the next, until rice is creamy-looking and each grain is tender but still firm in the center. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the pan from heat, and stir in pepper puree, asparagus, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon chopped mint, all the chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide risotto among six plates, and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon mint. Serve immediately.

RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS, MINT AND LEMON

Steps:

• Remove tips from asperagus and slice stalks into thin disks.
• Pour stock and water into medium saucepan and heat to low simmer. In 3-quart or larger pot, heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, until all the grains are well-coated. Quickly pour in vermouth or wine and stir until it has evaporated.
• Turn heat down to medium low and begin adding warmed stock to rice a ladleful (about 1/2 cup) at a time, stirring after each addition and waiting until the stock has been absorbed before adding more. Stir often enough to prevent rice from sticking to pan.
• When about half the stock has been absorbed, stir in asparagus slices and tips, then continue adding stock by the ladleful and stirring until it is absorbed. About 20 minutes after you began the process, taste rice for doneness. It should be tender, but not mushy, with a bit of crunch at the center. You may not need to add all the stock. The end texture should be creamy and slightly loose.
• Turn off heat and stir in remaining butter, cheese, mint and lemon zest and juice. Check seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Cover pan and let risotto rest for a few minutes before serving. Pass additional Parmesan at the table.

LEMON ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• For the asparagus: Cut off the asparagus tops and reserve. Chop the stems into pieces, discarding the woody bits. (If the stems are really thick and tough looking, peel them first.) Heat the oil and butter in a saute pan. Add the stem pieces and cook 5 minutes. Add the garlic and then the asparagus tips. Pour over 1/4 cup/60 ml water, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender, 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the asparagus. (If you like, you can add a sprig of fresh rosemary to the dish with the garlic and asparagus tips, then remove it at the end)
• For the risotto: On a separate burner, in a pot, bring the chicken stock to a simmer. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan and cook the onions and shallots until soft, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the rice and stir until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in the wine and reduce until almost dry. Add a ladle of stock and cook, stirring, until it disappears. Continue one ladle at a time, until the rice is tender and creamy, about 30 minutes. To serve: Remove from the heat and stir through the asparagus, remaining tablespoon of butter, lemon zest and half the cheese. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spoon the risotto into bowls and scatter over the remaining cheese.

ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• Snap the woody ends off the asparagus stalks and tip them into a saucepan with the stock. Put on a low heat to very gently simmer. Meanwhile, cut off the tips of the asparagus, add to the stock for exactly 1 min. Scoop out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Finely slice the rest of the stalks into rounds.
• Heat the oil and half the butter in a heavy, wide pan. Cook the onions gently for 5 mins until soft, stirring often. Add the chopped asparagus stalks and cook for 2 mins more. Add the rice and continously stir for a few minutes until it turns semi-transparent and makes a hissing sound.
• Stir in the wine, if using - it will evaporate almost immediately. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Add the stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring between each addition until it is absorbed, about 15 mins.
• Try the rice - it should feel just cooked with a slight bite to it. Stir in the asparagus tips and any last dregs of stock and cook for 1 or 2 mins more. Remove from the heat and top with the remaining butter and most of the parmesan. Season generously, cover and leave for a few minutes to settle.
• Give the risotto a thorough stir to incorporate the butter and cheese and serve straight away with the remaining parmesan for sprinkling over.