A green asparagus and brown shrimp risotto

While driving home from work I was wondering what to do for an evening meal, I was just passing through the local “Sparglefelder” when ping went my brain (it often does that I should really get it seen to). I turned into Hof Meloh and bought a 500g bundle of the green. The Hof has now put up a marquee and they do “eat as much as you can meals at weekends and Holy days (that is Holy days as in Germany)

Now what else was I going to have with it? I looked in my store drawer and found a packet (one that I bought in the UK at Christmas) of vacuum packed Arborio Risotto Rice. Yep that’s what I would go for!

I had to go to ALDI for some other odds and ends and while looking down the shelves I saw packets of brown shrimps, well is that not a marriage waiting to happen, a green asparagus and brown shrimp risotto!!!!! I also bought a tub of mascarpone as a creamy risotto has to be creamy.

Straight round home, and looked in the fridge for a 2/3 bottle of Pinot Grigio from the evening before.

So here are the ingredients:

150g of Risotto rice

1 large shallot

1 clove of garlic

A large knob of butter

Good glug of olive oil

Wine glass of Pinot Grigio (size depends on you)

250g of green asparagus

125g of brown shrimps (Nordseekrabben)

2 heaped tea spoons of Marigold vegetable stock made up to 600ml with boiling water (put the hard ends and any peelings from the asparagus into the pan with the stock)

1 sachet of Saffron powder

2 heaped dessert spoons of mascarpone

A small handful of grated parmesan cheese

Some chopped air dried ham (about 4-5 skin thin slices)

Method

I first snapped the asparagus stalks at their natural breaking point and added the tough ends to the marigold stock that was simmering on a low heat. Cut off the tips of the spears and then slice on a mandolin the stalks.

I next diced a large shallot, crushed and diced a clove of garlic added this to the foaming butter and olive oil in a heavy high sided frying pan (or sauté pan). When translucent added the rice and stirred to get all nice and glistening and allowed to cook until they are just starting to take on a bit of translucence.

Next add the wine (if you are using a full bottle now is a good time to refill the glass and have a swig) and cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed and/or evaporated. Now start adding the hot stock a little at a time, keep stirring until it has almost been absorbed, carry on doing this until the rice is almost cooked.

Now add the shrimps, sliced asparagus and air dried ham, stir in and finish off the cooking.



 It should be creamy, have a wonderful gold colour, flecked with green and brown. The rice should also still have a bit of resistance (Al dent, who ever he is). Now stir in the mascarpone and parmesan

and add the asparagus tips a few turns of fresh ground black pepper.

Serve in deep pasta dishes (you get much more in them than if using a dinner plate) all washed down with the remainder of the Pinot Grigio.



I can say with hand on heart (yes I do have a one) that it was beyond all of my expectations, truly creamy and full of flavour. It will be done again!