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Asparagus, mascarpone and pea risotto
Martha Collison's delicious, meat-free dinner uses seasonal asparagus and a scoop of creamy mascarpone. Don’t forget the Grana Padano
Serves4
CourseMain meal
Prepare10 mins
Cook45 mins
Total time55 mins
Ingredients
230g asparagus
750ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
25g butter
1 onion, finely diced
300g arborio risotto rice
175ml dry white wine
100g peas (fresh or frozen)
75g mascarpone, plus extra to serve
50g Grana Padano, plus extra to serve
Method
Snap the woody ends from each piece of
asparagus and place the ends into a small
saucepan, along with the stock. Warm over
a low heat while you start the risotto.
Heat the oil and butter in a large
saucepan. Once hot, add the onion and
cook on a low heat for 10-15 minutes, until
soft and translucent. Stir in the rice, then
add the wine and simmer until absorbed.
Keeping the pan on a low heat, add
the stock a ladleful at a time (avoid the
asparagus ends), stirring until each has been
absorbed before adding the next ladle.
Repeat the process for 25-30 minutes,
until the rice softens and is almost cooked
through. You might need to add a little
boiling water if the stock is fully absorbed
but the rice isn’t quite soft. Discard the
asparagus ends.
Cut the tips off the remaining asparagus
so they are approximately 5cm long, then
finely slice the remaining stems. Add the
asparagus, along with the peas, to the
risotto for the last 5 minutes of cooking.
Just before serving, stir in the mascarpone
and Grana Padano, then season to taste.
Serve with a generous spoonful of extra
mascarpone and some grated cheese for
good measure.