Asparagus Risotto

I met up with a close friend on Tuesday after not seeing her for almost a month. As soon as she saw me, the first thing she said was "gosh! you gained weight!" hmm...Thanks and I missed you too? What can I say? I love food! Well, I would also love to get myself fit into that tight little pair of faux leather legging I got last fall. With that in mind, I digged out my yoga mat and headed to my hot yoga studio for the most challenging class after two weeks' absence. The result? disgustedly sweatily satisfied and energized! So I decided to make a delicious asparagus risotto and bake some fish for dinner to reward myself. Yes, food again.

The recipe I followed this time is from The Silver Spoon (a new cookbook I got from BMV on Bloor street last Sunday) with few changes. I added some sugar peas (that had been sitting in the fridge for quite a few days and I had completely lost the original cooking inspirations that I had in mind when I decided to buy them in the grocery store) and also I added zest from 1 lemon to bring some citrusy zesting excitement to this traditional spring dish. My only mistake that I made this time? After the rice was done, I moved the pan to another burner that I forgot to turn off. And it was already a little bit too late when I finally noticed the rice was getting dryer. Oh well..Bon Appetit!

RISOTTO CON PUNTE DI ASPARAGI

Asparagus risotto (Recipe is from The Silver Spoon by Phaidon Press)

Serves 4

1 pound 2 ounces asparagus, spears trimmed

6 1/4 cups vegetable stock

5 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cups risotto rice

salt

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, to serve

• Cook the asparagus in a pot of salted, boiling water for 10-12 minutes until tender, then drain and cut off and reserve the spears. Chop the stems and set aside.

• Bring the vegetable stock to boil

• Meanwhile, melt 1tbsp butter in a skillet, add the asparagus spears and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

• Melt 2tbsp butter with the olive oil in a pan , add onion and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

• Stir in the rice and cook, sirring, until the grains are coated in fat, then add the chopped asparagus stems.

• Add a ladleful of the hot stock and cook, stirring, until it has been absorbed. Continue adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, and stirring until it has been absorbed. This will take 18-20 minutes.

• When the rice is tender, stir in the remaining butter and the asparagus spears. Serve with Parmesan