Serves 2-3

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 25 min

500g asparagus

75g butter

Squeezed lemon

1 tsp vegetable stock granules or half chicken stock cube

1 shallot or small onion

Half wine glass Noilly Prat, vermouth or white wine

200g risotto rice

4 heaped tbsp freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving

Boil the kettle. Snap off the asparagus tips. Cut the stalk into 5cm lengths. Measure 1 litre boiling water from the kettle into a spacious sauté or wide-based pan. Add 1 tsp salt and the asparagus tips. Boil for 1 minute. Scoop the tips out of the water. Boil the stalks for 4-6 minutes until tender.

Leave the water on a low heat and scoop the stalks into the bowl of a food processor. Add a cupful of cooking water and a generous knob of butter. Blitz into a smooth purée. Pass the purée through a sieve into a small pan, scraping underneath so nothing is wasted. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Dissolve the stock granules/cube in the asparagus water.

Peel and finely chop the shallot. Melt half the remaining butter in a heavy-based, wide saucepan and gently soften the shallot for about 3 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook, stirring constantly, for a couple of minutes until glistening and semi-translucent. Add the vermouth or wine, stirring as it seethes and bubbles into the rice.

Add a ladleful of the hot stock. Stir as it sizzles, cooking for a couple of minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Add a second ladleful of stock and stir until all the liquid is absorbed, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Continue in this way, stirring constantly, until the rice is almost tender but firm to the bite, for about 17 minutes in total.

Heat the purée and stir it into the risotto. Cook for a few more minutes until the risotto is creamy and porridge-like. Stir in the asparagus tips, the remaining butter and cheese. Cover and leave for 5 minutes before serving with extra Parmesan.

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