This is another "clean out the cupboard" triumph. We had some spare asparagus, celery, bacon and cauliflower puree (left over from the steak the other night) and making a risotto out of it seemed to make sense to me.
The cauliflower puree added a nice touch of flavor, but the real dividends there were in the enhanced overall creaminess brought in by the puree. This is really simple to make.
And, it has bacon.
6 cups chicken stock, brought to a low simmer
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
8 asparagus spears, blanched, submerged in cold water, drained, stalks cut in small pieces, tips reserved
2 strips bacon, cooked until crisp, blotted dry, crumbled
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup cauliflower puree (see post from 3 January)
salt and pepper
lemon-infused or really good olive oil
Bring the stock to a simmer, then reduce to low.
In a wide pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery and sweet down for 4-5 minutes, until soft, but not colored. Add the rice and toss to combine, coating in the oil. Add the wine and crank the heat up. Let the wine cook out and add the first ladle of stock. Reduce the heat to medium.
Continually stirring, keep adding a ladle of stock, letting it cook down, adding another ladleful, etc., until the rice is al dente. If you run out of liquid, use water. This should take 16-20 minutes total.
When the rice is cooked properly, add the asparagus pieces, bacon, cheese and cauliflower puree and stir through to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
Serve in a warm bowl with a drizzle of lemon olive oil (or really good olive oil) on top.
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