Risotto with Asparagus and Walnuts

Ingredients :

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 15 gm butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 350 gm risotto rice
• 1.5 ltrs chicken or vegetable stock
• 200 gm asparagus, snapped into 5cm segments
• zest of 1 lemon
• 40 gm walnut pieces
• 2 handfuls of grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation :

• Heat butter and oil in a sauce pan and fry onions until softened.
• Add the rice to the saucepan and stir over medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes, without browning.
• Pour the stock into the pan, one ladle at a time. Pour in more stock only when the previous ladleful has been absorbed completely.
• After about 10 minutes, add the asparagus and continue cooking, adding stock as necessary
• Check for the consistency of rice. It should be ‘al dente’. If the rice is firm to the bite, add walnuts and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste
• Remove from heat and drizzle with olive oil. Serve immediately. 

Serves 4