Simple asparagus risotto

Taylor

May 1

I know it is meant to be spring at the moment, but in England it is still very much feeling like winter. It means that I am still craving hearty and warming comfort food, but still wanting to try and welcome that spring time vibe into existence. I have tested this recipe out a few times now and believe I have finally mastered it.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked Arborio rice (or just generic risotto rice will work)
1 onion
4 cups vegetable broth, at room temperature
1 bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed, stalks chopped into small pieces
Herbs to flavour and garnish - parsley, coriander and basil
Optional - teaspoon of butter

Method:

Prepare the vegetable broth. I use Oxo cubes, and use 4 of them for this recipe, but you could use whatever brand you prefer. For Oxo cubes (and possibly others) you have to mix the cubes with boiling water, so I find it is best to prepare this first so that it has time to cool down before adding to the rice.
Chop the onion into small pieces - you could dice it but we prefer them slightly chunkier - and lightly fry until slightly golden in a saucepan
Add the rice and add roughly 1/2 a cup of the broth. Stir continuously as you add the broth 1/2 a cup at a time. Allow each addition of broth to be absorbed by the rice before adding the next.
Chop the asparagus into small chunks and add the asparagus with the last addition of the broth. Cooking times may vary depending on the brand of rice, however the whole process will usually take around 30 minutes in total to fully cook. The rice should be slightly al dente, but should still be light and fluffy to look at.
Once the rice is cooked and the broth has been fully absorbed, take the risotto off the heat and add your herbs. I have listed the ones that we prefer, but a generic mixed herb combination would work just as well. You may also wish to stir in a teaspoon of butter. Stir it all together and you are ready to serve!

My husband and I tend to prefer to have a few slices of garlic bread with the risotto, hence why we only cook a 3/5 cup of rice. If however you wish for this to be your main meal with no sides, 1 cup would be enough for two people. You could also add a handful of salad to garnish the risotto if you wanted a little bit of green, or just wanted less carbs. Do feel free to try various options to find your perfect combination of flavours.