Sometimes the most amazing things happen when you least expect it. This was one of them. I was looking round the kitchen thinking how I had no idea what I was going to make for dinner, when I remembered the asparagus in the freezer from a trip to a pick your own asparagus place with my girls.
I also have a huge supply of Risotto rice at the moment, so the obvious answer was Asparagus Risotto, a la the Fast And Easy Cookbook for Thermomix UK. But, I also had a left over bottle of champagne – that’s a bottle of booze that wasn’t finished the day it’s opened, don’t worry, a few years back I wouldn’t have known that either 😉 – and some prosciutto from our recent meat box delivery and chicken stock from the whole chicken I managed to make in my Veroma last week.
Well, this combination proved to be my favourite risotto to date. I hope you enjoy it too!
*If you don’t have a Thermomix you can still make this recipe using a traditional Risotto recipe, but substituting the wine for champagne, and the other additions for prosciutto and asparagus.
- 80g parmesan
- 200g asparagus
- 20g olive oil
- 250g risotto rice
- 200g champagne of your choice
- 450g chicken stock
- 30g butter
- 8 strips of prosciutto
- freshly ground pepper
- Run your Thermomix at speed 8, and drop 80g of parmesan cheese in for 5 seconds. Set aside.
- Cut asparagus tips and add them to the cheese. Put the stalks in the bowl and chop 7 seconds/speed 5.
- Add oil and cook for 3 minutes/100C/Speed 1.
- Add the champagne, stock and risotto rice and cook for 15 minutes/100C/Spoon Speed Reverse, making sure the measuring cup is in to maintain the liquid.
- When it’s done the rice should be firm but edible. If needed add another minute or two.
- In the meantime, tear the prosciutto into strips.
- When the rice is cooked, add the butter, parmesan, prosciutto and asparagus tips, and stir using a spoon.
- Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper, and serve immediately.