Friends, Food, Family by Sasha Wilkins

Author:Sasha Wilkins
Language: eng
Format: mobi
ISBN: 9781849494700
Publisher: Quadrille Publishing, Limited
Published: 2014-09-15T13:34:31.686001+00:00

ASPARAGUS

RISOTTO WITH

PEA PURÉE

I first came across the idea

of adding a vegetable purée

to a risotto at Bar Blanc in

Manhattan’s West Village that

was round the corner from

my apartment. It adds a lovely

depth and colour, especially

if you use peas, as the green

swirls through the dish,

adding an extra grassy hit

and green colour.

SERVES 4 AS A MAIN

OR 6 AS A SIDE DISH

2 fat bunches asparagus

100g petits pois

75g butter

approx. 1–1.6 litres vegetable

stock

sea salt and freshly ground

black pepper

1 small onion or a couple of

shallots, finely chopped

400g risotto rice (I prefer

Carnaroli)

50ml white wine or vermouth

To finish

150g Parmesan, finely grated

30g fridge-cold butter

METHOD

Fill a saucepan with about 2 cups of water and bring to the boil.

Prep the asparagus by breaking off the ends where they naturally

snap. Place the trimmed stalks in a steamer basket above the pan

of boiling water, and add the snapped-off ends into the water itself.

The trimmed stalks should be cooked al dente – do not let them get

soft. (This will only take a few minutes.) Leave the ends simmering

away until they’re well cooked.

Cut the tips off the stalks and set aside as a garnish. Cut the

remaining asparagus stalks in half. Reserve half, slice the rest into

tiny rounds and set aside.

Turn off the heat under the simmering asparagus ends, fish them

out and discard. DO NOT THROW AWAY THE WATER: you will use

it to make the risotto later.

Blend the batch of halved asparagus stalks, petits pois, 25g of

the butter, 100ml of the stock, plus a spoonful of the asparagus

cooking water to a pale green purée using a stick blender or food

processor. Taste and season with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

To make the risotto, gently sweat the chopped onion or shallots in

the remaining butter over a low-medium heat. When the onion has

softened (10 minutes or so), add the rice (it should sizzle as it hits

the pan) and the white wine or vermouth.

Cook the alcohol until it has all been absorbed by the rice, stirring

to make sure it does not catch, and then add a ladle of the stock

(including the asparagus cooking water too) at a time. Add more

stock as the previous ladle gets absorbed by the rice. Stir, stir

all the time so the rice doesn’t catch. It takes a while, about 20

minutes, but it’s so worth the effort. I recommend the radio in the

background, with a glass of the wine used for the risotto in one

hand and a wooden spoon in the other. Add the little asparagus

rounds about 5 minutes before the risotto is ready.

To finish, beat in the Parmesan and butter with a wooden spoon.

This is the mantecare stage, a vital element of risotto making which

ensures a glossy, smooth finish. Check the seasoning. It’ll probably

need lots more salt and black pepper. Just before serving, warm

the asparagus purée in a small pan, then stir it in so it streaks the

risotto. Garnish each plate with the reserved asparagus tips.

104 WEEKEND ENTERTAINING

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