Dreamy Creamy Asparagus & Tomato Risotto

Sometimes it's nice to treat yourself to a bit of indulgence, which is exactly what this creamy risotto is perfect for. I LOVE a risotto - and ever since perfecting (if I do say so myself) the delightful Italian dish I've played around with flavours and ingredients. I usually pan-cook my risottos, however for this recipe I crisp it off in the oven which actually worked incredibly well and gave it that yummy crunch.

The original recipe was just a tomato risotto, however I had some asparagus that needed using up so I decided to chuck that in too. It gave an extra layer of fresh flavour which balanced out the tang of the tomatoes. Check out my process in the clip below, and read on for ingredients and recipe!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwl6Uv91f0Y

Ingredients:

• 15 grams of butter or margarine

• Half an onion, finely chopped

• One garlic clove, peeled & finely chopped

• 140 grams of arborio risotto rice

• 440 ml of hot vegetable stock

• 100 grams of tomatoes - I used regular salad tomatoes, but cherry tomatoes would add a nice sweetness to the dish

• Drizzle of olive or sunflower oil

• 35 grams of parmesan or cheddar cheese - I use cheddar because I prefer the taste, but parmesan is typically used in risottos

• Salt & pepper (and chilli flakes if you want to add a little kick)

*TIP: replace the butter with a vegan spread and the cheese with a vegan hard cheese and you have a lovely vegan risotto!*

Method:

1. Firstly, preheat your oven to 180 degrees/Gas mark 6 and turn your hob onto a medium heat

2. Pop a large pan onto the hob and add butter/margarine

3. Chuck in the chopped onion & garlic and soften until nice and fragrant (this will probably take about 5 minutes)

4. Throw in your arborio rice and give it a stir

5. After about 3 minutes pour in the veg stock and season - bring this to the boil by turning up to a high heat (I missed this in my video - oops!)

6. Meanwhile, chop your tomatoes & asparagus and pop them on a baking tray drizzled with oil and season well

7. Transfer the risotto into a medium sized baking dish and pop this - along with the baking tray - in the oven for about 12 minutes

8. In this time grate your cheese (and if you're like me, stick on some tunes and bop about for a bit)

9. Take both dishes out of the oven. Put the veg to one side and add about three quarters of the cheese to the risotto, making sure to give it a good stir

10. Pop the risotto back in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes - cover with foil beforehand, unless, like me you run out...

11. Blot excess oil off the tomatoes & asparagus using kitchen roll, then chop the asparagus into 2cm pieces

12. Once 8 to 10 minutes is up, grab the risotto back out of the oven and stir in your tomatoes & asparagus and top with the rest of the cheese

13. Finish in the oven for about five minutes, then dish up and enjoy!

As with most meals I make this recipe serves two people, but of course you can always make more if you're cooking for multiple friends or family! If you live alone you can save the second portion for the next day - just be sure to reheat really well.

This dish is so creamy and delicious, but also has a certain freshness to it that makes it perfect for a Springtime lunch or dinner. If you want to make it even creamier, you can add a dollop of mascarpone and stir through immediately before dishing up.

The great thing about risotto is it's fairly simple to make, yet the flavours it can bring are phenomenal. I've made plenty of risottos with a variety of veg, including a delightfully autumnal roasted butternut squash, feta & hazelnut dish and a hearty broccoli, stilton & mushroom one too! The basic recipe for these was the same as above, only swapping out the veg and/or cheese.

Why not give this your own spin and add your favourite veg to a dreamy creamy risotto? Let me know how it goes in the comments!

PS - The original recipe I took my inspiration for this dish from is featured in The HUNGRY STUDENT Vegetarian Cookbook - check it out for loads of great veggie & vegan recipes that are cheap, quick and easy to make!