Recipe: British asparagus, watercress and pan roasted cherry tomato risotto (From Streatham Guardian)

Recipe: British asparagus, watercress and pan roasted cherry tomato risotto

10:19am Thursday 14th March 2013 in Freetime

Serves 4 / Cost per person £1.93

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

You’ll need:

4 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots finely chopped
2 garlic cloves sliced
2 bundles of asparagus trimmed
and cut into 3cm lengths
100g red and yellow cherry tomatoes cut in half
200g risotto rice
1 small glass of white wine
1 ltr hot vegetable stock,
2 bunches of watercress roughly chopped
50g lightly salted butter, cut into cubes
50g grated Vegetarian Parmesan style cheese.
Salt and cracked black pepper
 

What to do:

1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then add the shallots and garlic. Sweat for 10 minutes until the shallots and garlic turn translucent without any colour.
2. While the shallots and garlic are cooking, heat a medium sized frying pan, add the rest of the oil. When the oil starts to smoke add the asparagus and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, cook for a 30 seconds or until the tomatoes start to wilt slightly, then remove from the heat and set aside.
3. By now the onions should be ready, stir in the rice and keep cooking and stirring until the rice has also turned translucent, then add the wine and simmer until it has reduced by half.
4. Now start to add the hot stock, stirring the rice every now and then. Keep adding the stock a little at a time until the rice is cooked with a slight bite to it. About 20 minutes.
5. When the rice is cooked, stir in the watercress, asparagus and tomatoes. Remove from the heat and add the butter and half of the cheese, season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve in warm bowls, sprinkled with the rest of the cheese.