Is there anything better than a plate of creamy risotto? YES! A risotto combining the 2 most delicious vegetables of spring: wild garlic & asparagus. Even better yet if it’s a combination of white AND green asparagus. Ok, enough praise about this insanely delicious risotto and back to the facts. Unlike most of my recipes, this one actually depends on some on-hand cooking for almost an hour. And while that might sound like a lot for some of you (yes, nap-time breaks can be awfully short! That I know from experience!), it’s absolutely worth it. Big promise!

So, Spring is finally here! At least that’s what the calender says. The sun should come out more regularly now and first blooms have already made their way through the dark soil to please us with their color and scent. Just like wild garlic is making its way more and more through last years fallen leaves to finally cover the earth in a rich and delicious smelling green again. Foraging wild garlic at this time of year has always been one of the perks for me living in Austria. Now, that I split my time between Portugal and Austria I hardly ever get the chance to actually collect wild garlic. That’s why I feel especially blessed this year to have had the opportunity to collect the first delicate leaves a couple of weeks back.

From this first batch, collected right at the beginning of the season, I made an utterly flavorful pesto (you can find the recipe below under the risotto recipe or simply click here to head right to it). It’s really simple, no fancy or overly expensive (yes, I’m looking at you pine nuts!) ingredients involved. And it’s also incredible versatile, as you can see here or you could use it here instead of the regular basil pesto. For me, that’s one of the most important parts in making my own sauces and condiments. They need to be easy to make, flavorful and, above all, versatile to use. Because what good is it, when you have something in the fridge or pantry that you hardly ever use when making food for you and your loved ones!? Don’t you agree?

But let’s talk about the actual dish here: a creamy, delightful risotto. Infused with the most delicate flavors. A mixture of white and green asparagus, the above mentioned wild garlic pesto, hearty parmesan and delightful, uplifting hints of lemon peel. The combination is the bomb. I promise! You can serve it as it is, or with a fresh green spring salad to balance the richness of the risotto.

Before I leave you with the recipe, I want to really quickly get back to the time that’s needed to actually get this dinner on the table. Usually my recipes are very quick, I’m speaking of 30 minutes or less of actual hands-on cooking time. This one will cost you about 1 hour of your time, but as said before, it’s absolutely worth it! And I promise, the time will pass really quickly, all while rewarding you with incredible smell and flavor.

So, why does this recipe take so long? Well, for one, every good risotto starts with a flavorful broth. And in order to get flavor into the stock you have to cook it from scratch. The best thing about this though, is that you can also make use of the asparagus peels and ends. Falling right into place with my low-waste kitchen ambitions. Another, is that in order for the flavors to unfold it’s best to slow-cook the rice over medium-low heat. This way it has the time to really come together.

So, without further ado. Here’s the recipe! I hope you cook it in your own homes sooner or later. And if you do, please give me a shout out. Either here in the comments, on Instagram or pin it on one of your boards on Pinterest.

Lots of love,

Anna

Wild Garlic & Asparagus Risotto

Created by Anna on 19th März 2021

Spring is finally here when both wild garlic & asparagus are back in season. And I’m absolute lovin‘ the combination! It’s fresh, flavorful and an absolute perfect match. Paired with a creamy risotto you have yourself a fancy spring meal. Facebook0TwitterPinterest0email

Prep Time: 30m
Cook Time: 25m
Total Time: 55m

Serves: 4
Yield: 4-6 portions
Category: all recipes, dinner, Main dish, recipes, Spring, Vegetarian

Ingredients

For the Risotto

125 grams onions (about 1 small)
1 clove garlic (1-2 more if you\'re not using wild garlic)
2 twigs fresh thyme
280 grams risotto rice (e.g. Carnaroli or Arborio rice)
125 milliliters dry white wine
300 grams white asparagus
300 grams green asparagus
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
50 grams parmesan or pecorino
1 small hand fresh wild garlic
2 tablespoons wild garlic pesto
1 small organic lemon

For the Broth

1 small onion
10 cm leek
125 grams small carrots (about 2 small ones)
2 bay leaves
1 1/4 liters water
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 twigs parsley

Instructions

To make the broth

Put a medium pot on high heat, cut onion in half and place cut side down into the pot. Charr onion for 3-5 minutes or until nice golden brown.
Meanwhile peel white asparagus, trim ends off green and white asparagus and add peels and ends to the onion.
Peel or wash carrot, cut in half lengthwise, add to the pot together with washed leek, peppercorns and bay leaves.
Add water to the pot, add lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling add salt, reduce heat and let simmer for at least 15 minutes.

To make the risotto

While the broth simmers, start prepping for the risotto. Peel onion and cut into small cubes. Peel garlic and cut as small as possible.
Cut white asparagus into 1/2cm rounds and put aside. Cut green asparagus into 1cm pieces and put aside in a separate bowl.
Finely grate parmesan or pecorino cheese and set aside. Wash fresh wild garlic and cut into thin stripes and set aside.
Wash fresh wild garlic and cut into thin stripes.
Once the broth is almost ready, you can start your risotto by putting a heavy-bottom pot in medium heat. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and the cut onion and sauté until translucent, about 4-5 minutes.
Add garlic, fresh thyme and rice to the pot and stir through. Wait 30-60 seconds, then add white wine and stir through. Let evaporate for 1-2 minutes. Reduce head to medium-low.
Add broth through a thieve, one cup at a time. Always stirring through vigorously. Come back to the risotto every other minute or so, stirring.
Once the rice has been cooking for 10 minutes, add white asparagus and stir through. Keep adding broth until there is none left. Still will take about another 10 minutes or so.
Place a pan on high heat. Add green asparagus and charr for 3-4 minutes. Then add to the risotto.
Once you've used all the broth and the rice is creamy and almost cooked through add butter, grated cheese and thinly cut wild garlic. Stir through. Season with salt & pepper and let sit for 1-2 minutes with a lid on.
Serve with freshly grated lemon peel, more cheese and a drizzle of homemade wild garlic pesto. Enjoy!
Notes: Find recipe for the wild garlic pesto below. You can also use parsley or basil instead. If you don't have fresh wild garlic at hand to finish off the risotto, feel free to substitute it with fresh baby spinach or arugula. If you don't have white asparagus, substitute with more green asparagus.