asparagus and lemon risotto

Ingredients Asparagus Vegan Risotto:

  • olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 200g/7 ounces Arborio rice
  • 125ml/4½ fluid ounces white wine
  • litre – 1.25 litres hot chicken-STYLE or vegetable stock
  • 400g/14 ounces asparagus, chopped
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small lemon, zest and juice
  • cheezly or other non-dairy cheese if you wish it  – btw you can make your own – its perfectly do-able

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan over a low heat. Peel onion and chop it finely. Allow the onion to soften in the oil, do not fry it.

Stir in rice, coating the grains in the oil. Pour in the wine and allow it to reduce until all of it has evaporated. Slice the asparagus into 1 cm pieces. Keep the ‘heads’ whole. Blanche or steam them till just tender.

Add a large ladleful of hot stock to the rice, turn the heat up a bit, then let the liquid almost disappear before adding the pieces of asparagus and a second ladle of stock. Continue adding the stock as it boils down to almost nothing.

Stir the rice often, grating and squeezing the lemon as the rice is cooking. Do taste test!! The lemon can become overpowering if you’re not careful.

Season with salt, pepper, the lemon zest and juice and continue cooking till the rice is creamy but has a bit of texture left in it. Stir in the cheese-substitute, i love ground almonds, if desired and eat immediately. Perfect vegan risotto accomplished – with ease!!

Please do share this recipe – this is a perfect, satisfying, flavorful vegan risotto that will might help open up the eyes of others to how good vegan food is.

Amber | www.intothesoul.com