Asparagus risotto

 I've been making risottos for many years, ever since enjoying a seafood risotto in a charming restaurant over looking a harbour in Sicily. However, lockdown gave me ample time to experiment with new flavours, and so I turned my attention to asparagus.

I wanted the rice to take on a green colour, so after researching countless recipes online, I opted for blanching trimmed and chopped stems, then plunging then into an ice bath to maintain the bright green colour. Next, I blended them into a purée to add towards the end of cooking the rice. The water from the blanching I used to make the chicken broth the rice is cooked in. The tips I cooked until just tender and threw them on top once the risotto was done.  The dish in the picture also included bacon pieces.

I usually use olive oil to soften the onions but this time I used butter, which together with adding the parmesan at the end, produced a wonderful creamy texture.

I'm confident that I can now add this to my repertoire, along with versions made with red wine and beetroot, cherry tomatoes and basil, mushrooms, and the seafood staple.

Just a little bit of cheese

Ever wondered what to do with that little bit of hard cheese (Cheddar, Cheshire etc) that is left over and has got a little bit too hard for the cheese board?

This is a little trick that I learnt from a lovely lady in Brazil, and I never throw away any little pieces of leftover cheese again - in fact, I make sure I always have some left over!

Crack a large egg into a little olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and then bash the yolk to make sure it breaks. Grate the little piece of cheese over the egg - there is no such thing as too much, but keep it on the egg - don't spill over into the pan.

Wait until the underside of the egg has hardened and the cheese has started to melt on the top, then with a spatula flip over the egg. Continue to fry until the cheese has formed a nice crispy crust - you can lift the edge of the egg to check.

Now lift out the egg and place on a serving plate cheese-side up and serve with sausages and bacon for breakfast or with salad for a snack any time of the day.

Delicious!