Instructions
1. Prepare asparagus stock by placing woody ends in pan with a litre of water and pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for approximately 40 minutes before removing the asparagus. Keep the heated liquid in the pan.
2. About 10 minutes before asparagus is ready, heat a drizzle of vegetable oil in a large pan, adding onions and garlic with a pinch of salt. Cook until soft and translucent, for about 5 minutes.
3. Add the rice, stirring, for a few minutes until it starts to toast. Add the white wine, stirring, until it evaporated.
4. Add ladles of the warmed asparagus, letting the rice absorb it, before adding the next ladle. Stir regularly in order to make risotto creamy.
5. As the risotto is cooking, chop off the asparagus tips to be about 5cm long and set aside, dividing the stalks into two equal piles. Finely slice one pile into 2mm rounds and set aside while roughly chopping the remaining stalks.
6. Cook the roughly chopped asparagus in salted boiling water with a pinch of bicarbonate of soda.
7. When the asparagus is soft, for about 5 minutes, before draining. Make sure to reserve some cooking water.
8. Place in a blender into a smooth puree, adding back in some of the cooking water, as needed.
9. When rice is cooked al dente, stir in the purée and sliced asparagus stalks.
10. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste before beating in the butter and Parmesan. Place lid on the pan with heat off to rest for 5 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, place a frying pan over a high heat, adding the asparagus tips with a small drizzle of oil. Stir-fry for a few minutes until cooked through. Season with flaky salt.
12. Serve the risotto and garnish with asparagus tips and lemon zest.
