ASPARAGUS & PISTACHIO RISOTTO RISOTTO

A SIMPLE, ONE-PAN ITALIAN CLASSIC, QUICK TO PREPARE AND LOW IN CALORIES. PISTACHIOS ARE HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS AND FIBER. LOW IN CALORIES YET HIGH IN PROTEIN. THEY'RE ALSO RICH IN OTHER IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS, INCLUDING VITAMIN B6 AND POTASSIUM.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS ------------------

serves 2-3

500 ml [2 cups] vegetable or mushroom stock [ideally homemade]

125 ml [1/2 cup] white wine

220 g [1 cup] arborio rice

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

unrefined salt to taste

8 - 10 asparagus spears, trimmed and cut into short lengths

handful shelled pistachio nuts, toasted and roughly chopped

2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice

fresh parsley & black pepper to garnish

For the Pistachio 'Parmesan':

Depending on how much 'parmesan' you want to prepare [and use later for other recipes], use the ratio 1:2 for pistachios and nutritional yeast.

1 measure unsalted pistachios

2 measures nutritional yeast

unrefined salt to taste

METHOD ---------------------

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, or until soft not allowing it to brown.
   

2. Add the rice, turn up the heat and stir until translucent.
   

3. Add the wine and keep stirring until alcohol evaporates and leaves the rice with a tasty essence.
   

4. Add the first ladle of hot stock and a good pinch of salt. Turn the heat down to a simmer so the rice doesn’t cook too quickly on the outside.
   

5. Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring gently, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take around 15 minutes or until the rice is tender and creamy (as every risotto rice is slightly different, you may not need to add all the stock, or you may run out of it, in such case you will need to add a little hot water).
   

6. To make pistachio 'parmesan', add ingredients to a food processor and blitz until desired consistency.
   

7. Add the asparagus during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
   

8. Stir in the Pistachio 'Parmesan' [or vegan alternative] and season.
   

9. Remove from heat and leave for 2 minutes.
   

10. Serve sprinkled with 'Parmesan' & chopped pistachios.