Asparagus Risotto with Quorn

Recipe: risotto


Asparagus Risotto--

Ingredients:

2-1/2 pounds asparagus, trimmed, tips cut off and reserved
Salt
8 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium shallots, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3-1/2 cups arborio rice (1 pound)
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (3 ounces)
Freshly ground pepper

Method:

1. Cook the asparagus tips in a medium saucepan of boiling salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tips to a colander and rinse in cold water; drain well.
2. Break the asparagus stalks in half. Add them to the boiling water and cook until very tender, about 10 minutes. Reserve 1/3 cup of the cooking water, then drain the stalks. Puree the stalks with the reserved cooking water in a food processor. Using a rubber spatula, work the puree through a coarse sieve; you should have about 2 cups.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the shallots are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir over moderate heat to coat the grains with the oil. Pour in the wine and continue stirring until the wine is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes.
4. Add 1 cup of the hot stock and stir constantly until almost absorbed. Continue adding the stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until it is absorbed before adding more. When the rice is almost tender, after about 15 minutes, add the asparagus puree. Continue to cook, stirring, until the rice is tender but still firm to the bite, about 4 minutes. Add the asparagus tips and stir for 1 minute to heat through.
5. Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and let stand for 2 minutes, then spoon the risotto into shallow bowls and serve.

Quorn
I just sauteed the Quorn with some oil and rosemary. Feel free to prepare as you wish.

Verdict:

I loved loved loved this risotto. This is my first time ever making risotto in general, and I have to say, it is a lot of work. And hot. But this recipe doesn't have cream or very much cheese, so it is a little healthier. Also, the asparagus puree is amazing. I don't even love asparagus, though I doubt you could tell from the recipes I post. It's in season and I know that you can cook cool things with it, which is why I keep trying new things.


Short story--go make this now. It'll feed alot of people (4-8) so cut the recipe if you don't want leftovers out the wazoo.

Thai Noodle Soup and Rice Cake

THAI NOODLE SOUP

Ingredients:
2 tsp sunflower or other vegetable oil
1 small garlic clove, chopped
2 lemongrass stalks
2 kaffir lime leaves - or strip of pared lime rind (I couldn't find the leaves, so I used rind.)
1.2 litres/2 pint veggie stock
75g/3oz dried medium egg noodles
1 lime, juice only (about 2 tsp)
½ medium-hot red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
2.5ml/½ tsp sugar
50g/2oz fresh spinach or pak choi, cut into 2.5cm/1in wide strips
a handful fresh coriander/cilantro leaves

Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
2. Add the garlic and fry gently over a medium heat for 1 minute.
3. Meanwhile, lightly crush the lemon grass stalks with a rolling pin or the blade of a large knife.
4. To make the soup add the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and stock to the pan, bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. To refine the soup, strain the stock through a fine sieve into a bowl, return to the pan and add lime juice, red chilli and sugar. Simmer for 3 minutes. (I just picked out the lemongrass and lime rind, because I am lazy.)
6. Meanwhile , drop the noodles into a pan of boiling water, remove from the heat and leave to soak for 4 minutes, before draining. (Or just toss the noodles in to the broth and cook them that way, which is what I did because I didn't feel like pulling out another pot and waiting for the water to boil.)
7. Add the egg noodles and spinach, or pak choi and simmer for a further 30 seconds.
8.Finally, ladle into bowls, dividing the noodles equally between them and scatter over the coriander leaves.


RICE CAKE

Ingredients:
150g/5¼oz cooked Thai fragrant rice (I used plain basmati, because I had no idea where to find this.)
1 free-range egg, beaten
2 spring onions, finely chopped
½ red pepper, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
drizzle soy sauce
1-2 tbsp olive oil

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
2. Place the cooked rice into a large bowl. Stir in the beaten egg along with the spring onions, pepper, salt and freshly ground black pepper and soy sauce.
3. Heat the oil in a small to medium non-stick frying pan. Spoon the rice mixture into the pan and press down. Fry for about two minutes. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for a further 10-12 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Turn the cake out and cut into wedges to serve.


NOTES
The soup could easily be made vegan by the substitution of regular noodles for egg noodles, and the rice cake if you felt like playing around with non-egg binders.

I believe the entire meal is gluten-free, although of course you'd want to double-check your broth and noodles.


VERDICT
The soup was fine. Not the most delicious thing I've ever tasted in my life, but it was good and had a nice balance of spice/savory/sour as Thai food should. I might make it again, although I think it would be better as an appetizer than part of the main course.

The rice cake was a little odd, just because it was rice and egg all baked together. Certainly edible, but probably not something I'd cook for myself again.