Green Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients:

• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock (±1.4L)
• 3 cups baby spinach, loosely packed (±90 g)
• ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed (±15 g)
• 14 oz green asparagus (±400 g)
• 2 medium sized shallots, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tbsp oil (±15 ml)
• 1½ cups Arborio risotto rice (±300 g)
• ½ cup dry white wine (±120 ml)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan (±100 g)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (±30 g)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Shaved Parmesan flakes for serving (optional)

Directions:

1. Begin by heating your stock and keeping it warm.
2. In a blender, blend the fresh spinach and basil with a splash of warm stock until smooth. Set aside.
3. Peel asparagus spears and remove their fibrous ends (1 in.). Cut heads to approx. 2 in. in length, leave intact and cut rest of stems into 1 in. pieces, set aside.
4. In a 2.8L/2.9qt sauteuse pan, pour oil and preheat for 3 min. on medium-high heat.
5. Add chopped shallot in sauteuse and sauté for 3 min. on medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 min. more.
6. Add rice and continue sautéing for 1 min. while stirring. Add white wine and stir until it is absorbed.
7. Begin adding the warm vegetable stock one ladle at a time, stirring frequently. Allow each addition to absorb before adding the next. This process takes about 18–20 min. Stir in the asparagus pieces during the last addition of stock.
8. Once the rice is creamy and al dente, remove from heat, stir in the spinach-basil purée, Parmesan cheese, butter and lemon zest.
9. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with shaved Parmesan flakes.