Asparagus and Lemon Risotto with Chili Prawns or Chili Mushrooms

Asparagus Risotto with Chili Prawns

 

Risotto is an Italian rice dish, whose fame is said to have come about through jealousy and rage. In 1574 a man named Valerius was put in charge of creating the stained glass windows for the Cathedral Duomo Di Milano. The windows were amazing but people mocked him, saying that it was not his skills but the herb saffron that created the brilliant colours. Valerius was furious and wanted the townspeople to suffer, so he planned his revenge. At his master’s wedding feast, he added masses of saffron to the rice that was being served as the main dish. Instead of causing distress, the saffron rice was an instant success and everyone wanted the recipe. 

Risotto is now a staple in the Italian diet and a popular dish worldwide. It is versatile and can be prepared with a variety of ingredients. These days some dishes use saffron, and some don't. This time I decided not to.

As I love asparagus and the season is ending soon, I wanted to make the most of this delicious ingredient by adding it to my recipe. The lemon zest gave the risotto a great kick.

Serves: 1 vegetarian, 1 meat-eater

200g risotto rice

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

400ml vegetable stock

100ml white wine

½ onion, finely chopped

2 garlic clove, crushed and finely chopped

½ bunch of asparagus, woody bits removed, cut diagonally into 4 or 5, tips kept whole.

Few sprigs of basil, torn

Chunk of Parmesan

1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped

Olive oil

Knob of butter

Black pepper

M: ½ garlic clove

½ red chili, deseeded and finely chopped

Handful of jumbo prawns

V: ½ garlic clove

½ red chili, deseeded and finely chopped

A few mushrooms, sliced

Heat a small knob of butter and a glug of olive oil in a pan and gently fry the onion, garlic and half of the lemon zest until soft.

Add the rice and stir until the grain starts to appear almost see-through. Pour over the wine and smell the alcohol as it evaporates, stirring frequently so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan.

Gradually add the stock a little at a time, only add more stock as the rice absorbs the liquid. Continue until the rice is cooked and the stock has been used up.

Stir in the asparagus with the final ladle of stock.

M: In a pan gently fry the chili and garlic in a little olive oil and toss in the prawns

V: In a pan gently fry the chili, garlic and mushrooms in a little olive oil for a few minutes.

Finally add the remaining butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil leaves to the risotto and finely grate over a thin layer or Parmesan cheese. Cover with a lid and leave to stand for a minute or two before giving it a shake and serving.

Serve with chili prawns or chili mushrooms.

Arancini with an orange and pear salad

Yesterday's Beetroot and Broccoli Risotto

Arancini filled with Mozzarella and Ham



Orange and Pear Salad

I was in the mood for risotto and my mum recommended I try Aldo Zilli's risotto with purple sprouting broccoli and beetroot so I gave it a go.

I used normal broccoli as my local veg lady didn't have any purple sprouting. I found that the risotto was lacking a bit in flavour so if I make it again I will par-boil the broccoli first.

Whenever I make a risotto I like to make too much so that I have enough left-overs to make arancini.

Arancini 'little oranges' are a Sicilian speciality. There is a traditional recipe (fried rice balls covered in breadcrumbs, filled with mozzarella, tomato sauce and mincemeat) but they can also have many different fillings. I like to use left-over risotto as the rice is already flavoured and has a sticky texture which is perfect for moulding. Yesterday I filled the vegetarian's with mozzarella and added ham to mine.

Arancini

Serves: 2

Yesterday’s risotto, divided into palm size sections.

2 slices whole meal bread turned into breadcrumbs

2 free range eggs, whisked and seasoned

Buffalo mozzarella, quartered

M: Slice or two of ham

Wrap each piece of mozzarella in the risotto and mould it with your hands into the shape of a ball. Dip the rice ball into the egg and then roll it in the breadcrumbs until covered. Repeat with all sections of risotto until you have numerous balls.

M: Wrap the mozzarella in the ham first before following above instructions.

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan until bubbling hot. Lower the heat and gently fry the risotto balls for a few minutes on each side until the arancini is golden brown all over.

Cut open and watch the mozzarella ooze out. They are pretty filling so I serve mine with a refreshing salad.

Orange and Pear Salad



Serves: 2

1/2 orange, segments peeled and pith removed

1/2 pear, sliced

Chunk of blue cheese, crumbled

Chunk of cucumber, sliced

Handful walnuts

A few lettuce leaves

Olive oil

Mix all the ingredients together and drizzle with a little olive oil.