Sandra Tate - Food
 

asparagus risotto with trout & mint

May asparagus - local and at its best - together with delicate flakes of trout and hint of mint. With any luck the sun will shine and you can enjoy this Spring lunch outside...
 
asparagus risotto
 
Ingredients

serves 4

350g arborio rice
1 glass white wine
2 litres good chicken stock
1 onion, finely chopped
75g butter
250g bundle of local asparagus
400g trout fillets
200g defrosted frozen peas
1 tbsp freshly chopped mint
salt, pepper



Method

1 Poach the trout gently and briefly in simmering water with a squeeze of lemon juice, a little white wine, salt and peppercorns for 4-6 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. Flake the fish and set aside in a warm place.

2 Bend the asparagus spears until they snap at the point where the woodiness of the stem ends, discard this part and trim the ends. Cut the stems into 2cm lengths and boil for 4 minutes to barely tender (cook the tips for only 3 minutes), drain and set aside.

3 Melt the butter in a large frying pan and gently cook the chopped onion for a few minutes to soften then add the arborio rice and turn to coat in butter, season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat up to medium and add white wine, cook until almost totally absorbed then add half of the chicken stock. Once this has been taken up by the rice, add the rest and continue until the rice is almost cooked then fold in the peas and blanched asparagus and continue for a final 2-3 minutes of gentle cooking. Now, chop the mint and fold it in too (chop it sooner and it will blacken).

4 Divide the risotto between four warmed pasta bowls, topping with juicy flakes of salmon and the asparagus tips. Serve.

 
 
sandra tate
©sandra tate 2009