Seasonal Eats: Asparagus Risotto

There are lots of reasons to eat your produce seasonally, including benefits for the environment, the food is fresher and best of all, so much tastier!

Asparagus is delicious when it’s in season, and lucky for our stomachs the season began on 24th April and lasts until 21st June. It’s a short spell, but it’s worth the wait every year! Our food editor Alana has put together a simple dish that really compliments it’s fresh flavour that makes a perfect springtime dinner:

Ingredients
Serves 4

1 white onion, finely diced
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
1tbsp olive oil
300g Arborio risotto rice
600ml good quality chicken or vegetable stock, hot
Zest and juice of ½ lemon
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
200g fine asparagus, ribboned
100g frozen peas, defrosted
1 handful parsley
Manchego cheese, thinly sliced

Method

Sweat the onion and garlic in the olive oil over a low-medium heat for 5 minutes or so, when the onions should be translucent and soft.
Add the rice and stir to coat in the olive oil.
Gradually add the stock, stirring all the time and waiting until it has all been absorbed before adding the next lot. Continue until the rice has absorbed all the stock and is cooked through. If it still has a little bite, add a little boiling water.
Add the lemon zest and juice, and season to taste.
Lastly stir in the peas, asparagus and parsley. Cover and allow to rest for 2 minutes, garnish with the manchego and serve with a wedge of lemon.

Soft Boiled Egg and Roasted Asparagus Soldiers

For those that like to keep things simple, there’s nothing better than dipping roasted asparagus spears into a free range boiled egg. Serve it up for breakfast tomorrow, you won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients
Serves 1

1-2 large egg(s)
6-8 asparagus spears
Sea salt and cracked black pepper
Olive oil

Method

Preheat your oven to 200C and bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Lay the asparagus out on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 6 minutes. Gently lower the egg into the boiling water and set the timer for 6 minutes. Place the egg in an egg cup, cut the top off the egg and dunk the asparagus the runny yolk…