Green asparagus risotto

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 200 g risotto rice
• 50 g shallot(s), peeled
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3 tbsp olive oil, cold squeezed
• 100 ml dry white wine
• 500 ml vegetable stock
• 35 g butter
• 50 g Pecorino or other Italian hard cheese
• 1 bunch of green asparagus
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, lighter
• 10 large basil leaves
• 1 large beef tomato(s), approx. 250 g
• Sea salt and pepper, freshly ground
• some basil leaves, small

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 25 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

classic Italian

First, a few preparations: For the rice, dice the shallots very finely. Finely chop the garlic. Grate the pecorino and heat the vegetable stock separately. Cut the heads off the cleaned asparagus and set aside. Cut the asparagus spears diagonally into bite-sized pieces and dice the beefsteak tomato. Sauté the shallots and garlic in a non-stick pan in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat for 1/2 minute. Add the risotto rice and toast for another minute, stirring constantly. Deglaze with the white wine and cook until the wine is reduced, stirring constantly. Add a pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to medium, pour in the vegetable stock, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Important: If the liquid has evaporated before the rice is tender, keep adding a little more stock or water. While the rice is cooking, fry the asparagus pieces (without heads) in a tablespoon of olive oil and two pinches of salt in a pan, then continue to sauté in their own juices over low heat for about 10 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated, stirring occasionally. Now add a teaspoon of cold butter and the asparagus heads and fry for another 5 minutes. Roll up the large basil leaves and cut into strips. Turn off the heat under the pan, stir in the white balsamic vinegar and basil, season generously with ground black pepper and season with salt. Stir in the diced tomatoes, remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. The rice should now be soft, i.e. firm to the bite without tasting floury. Stir in the butter piece by piece and the grated pecorino cheese. The consistency should resemble a thick porridge; if desired, add a small splash of stock. Finally, toss the rice and asparagus together, divide them among three deep plates, and serve immediately, garnished with a few fresh basil leaves, cheese shavings, and a few drops of olive oil. 550 kcal per serving.