A delicious and satisfying dish doesn't have to mean meat or fish.
This fresh and flavoursome risotto, with tender asparagus and fragrant mint would fuel even the heartiest eater weighing on them.
That includes the tropical Tin Cottage Sauvignon Blanc we used to flavour the food (we drank the rest) – try it yourself, even better with 10 percent off selected sauvignon blancs currently!
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4)
175g asparagus (trimmed and sliced into 1.5cm lengths)
1.5 litres chicken stock
4 x mint sprigs
2 x tbsp chopped mint leaves
2 x tsp fennel seeds
2 x tbsp olive oil
1 x small onion (finely chopped)
1 x stick of celery (finely chopped)
500g risotto rice (carnaroli if possible)
125ml Sauvignon Blanc
30g unsalted butter
90g freshly grated parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
- Put chicken stock, asparagus ends and mint sprigs into a saucepan and bring to boil, before reducing heat to low, covering and keeping hot.
- In a large saucepan, toast the fennel seeds over a high heat, stirring for around one minute or until fragrant.
- Transfer seeds to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, then – once cool – roughly grind.
- In the same saucepan, heat the olive oil then add the onion and the celery and cook over moderate heat for around five minutes until softened.
- Add rice and fennel seeds and stir until coated with oil, then add wine.
- Stir for a couple of minutes until absorbed, then add enough hot stock to just cover the rice.
- Cook and stir until stock is absorbed, then continue to add stock one ladle at a time, stirring constantly until rice is just tender – this should take about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the sliced asparagus and cook, adding more broth as necessary, until the asparagus is almost tender and the rice is al dente and bound in a creamy sauce.
- Stir in the butter, parmesan and chopped mint, then season with salt and pepper.
- Serve in warmed bowls, with more parmesan if desired.
Enjoy with the rest of your Tin Cottage Sauvignon Blanc while your veggie friends beg you for the recipe.