Risotto with white asparagus

Imagine the scent of this risotto with white asparagus: it invades the entire kitchen! Don't be scared by their particularity, here's how to cook white asparagus.

Asparagus season has arrived: better take advantage of this fabulous vegetable before it's too late! Today we offer you a delicious recipe, risotto with white asparagus. The most common and prestigious variety is that of white Bassano asparagus, with fragrant and delicate stems and a sweet and bitter (but balanced) flavour. Its color is due to the absence of light, which blocks photosynthesis.

Preparation of risotto with white asparagus

1. Before preparing the risotto, here's how to clean the white asparagus: wash them carefully under running water, scrape the tough outer part (remember not to touch the tips!) and finally cut off the woody part at the end.
2. Keep aside both the asparagus threads and the hard base, and add everything to a saucepan with the vegetable broth (to further flavor it ) which you will place on the heat.
3. Cut the tips and divide them in half lengthwise, instead cut all the stems into rounds.
4. Heat a drizzle of oil (or butter) in a pan and cook the asparagus stalks, adding vegetable broth if necessary.
5. When the vegetables are nice and soft, turn off the heat and set the asparagus aside.
6. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of oil and toast the rice for 2-3 minutes , add the wine and when it has evaporated, add a few ladles of broth until it is covered.
7. Lower the heat and let it cook. (Add more broth if necessary).
8. Towards half cooking, add the asparagus and continue cooking.
9. Once finished, turn off the heat, season with salt and pepper and stir in a small piece of butter and a handful of grated cheese.
10. Before serving you can also add some color with freshly chopped parsley .

Risotto with white asparagus cream: the most delicate variant

If you want, you can also try this variation of the recipe. To prepare it you will have to wash, clean and boil the asparagus, cut the stems into small pieces and cook them for another 10-15 minutes in a pan with a drizzle of oil (or a knob of butter) until they are nice and soft. At this point , blend the stems in a blender with the help of a little hot broth and pour in the cream 5 minutes before the rice is finished cooking and then complete with the intact tips of the vegetables. To make everything even more delicious you can add a few tablespoons of cooking cream or mascarpone to the cream and mix well to obtain a smooth and homogeneous sauce.

The qualities of white asparagus

Why choose white asparagus? Here are properties and benefits . They contain a lot of water, fibre, carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins. They are diuretics (therefore enemies of cellulite), detoxifying and have anti-inflammatory action. Finally, asparagine helps balance blood sugar levels in diabetics, rutin strengthens the walls of capillaries and inulin helps absorb nutrients.