Cornish Asparagus Risotto with Peas and Wild Garlic Pesto
Cornish asparagus is up and out and I’m at the ready with my knife and fork and pan of boiling water. Not quite, but I couldn’t resist buying a bunch when I passed our local greengrocer yesterday. Apart from grilling them and eating them for breakfast with scrambled egg on toast, I thought a fresh and simple Cornish asparagus risotto with peas and wild garlic pesto would be just the thing.
Asparagus has a short season and it’s one I look forward to every year. Asparagus is at its best when eaten fresh, so the more local you can get it, the better. We’ve tried growing it in the past, but we’ve sadly not had much success. It’s a notoriously difficult crop to grow. It’s a bit too early for fresh peas, so I’ve used frozen ones, but you might get lucky later in the asparagus season.
The risotto turned out perfectly. I didn’t want to overpower the asparagus flavour, so I was cautious with my addition of pesto. You could just about get the flavour of wild garlic, but the asparagus was very much to the fore with the peas forming a nice back note. I have three recipes for wild garlic pesto, all delicious. Two are on the link I’ve just given and I also have a roasted hazelnut version. Take your pick.
The recipe for Cornish asparagus risotto is not quite vegan as I’ve used cheese to make my pesto. But substitute this with a dairy-free version and you have a delicious vegan dinner for two.
- 6-8 asparagus spears - depending on size
- 100 g fresh or frozen peas
- 500 ml water
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion - diced
- 175 g risotto rice
- 100 ml white wine
- 1 heaped tsp wild garlic pesto (or pesto of your choice)
- Snap of the woody ends of the asparagus, cut in half and set aside.
- Slice the asparagus spears into 2 cm pieces, keeping the tips to one side.
- Bring the water to the boil.
- Add the salt and asparagus pieces. Cover and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add the asparagus tips and peas and simmer for a further 2 minutes or until just tender.
- Drain, reserving the water.
- Place the water back in the pan and add the halved asparagus ends. Simmer until stock is needed.
- Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onion. Fry over a gently heat until translucent. Add the rice and stir to coat.
- Add the wine, followed by a ladle of the asparagus stock and stir. As soon as the liquid has been absorbed, add another one. Repeat until all of the stock has been used up.
- Add the pesto and asparagus pea mixture, clamp on a lid and allow to steam for a minute or two.
- Stir and serve.
Use a vegan pesto to make this a totally vegan dish.
I’m sending my Cornish asparagus risotto with peas and wild garlic pesto to Meat Free Mondays over at Tinned Tomatoes.
This fresh spring risotto also goes to Feeding Boys for Simple and in Season.
And finally #CookBlogShare which is hosted this week at Everyday Healthy Recipes.
Other asparagus recipes you might like
- Asparagoose tarts via Tin and Thyme
- Asparagus bhajias via Binny’s Kitchen
- Asparagus & Swiss chard soup via Planet Veggie
- Chard, asparagus and mint tart via Rough Measures
- Mushroom, pesto & asparagus pizza via Family, Friends Food
- Quinoa, watercress, walnut and blue cheese salad with roasted asparagus via Tin and Thyme
- Roasted asparagus with preserved lemon via Cocina Celestina
- Salad of asparagus with quail eggs and fennel pollen via London Unattached
- Squash & asparagus hash with poached duck egg via Celery & Cupcakes
Jacqueline Meldrum
27th April 2017 at 2:16 pmI’ve not had my first asparagus of the season yet but this looks a great way to serve it. Shared!
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:28 pmThanks Jac. You’re in for a treat. I love asparagus season.
Michelle @ Greedy Gourmet
27th April 2017 at 2:20 pmWow, what a fantastic way to make use of asparagus. Now if only I could get my hand on wild garlic…
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:28 pmCan’t you get your hands on wild garlic Michelle? It grows in most places.
Cathy @ Planet Veggie
27th April 2017 at 2:38 pmI love asparagus and yes, it’s definitely better when it’s fresh and in season. I also love risotto but I was born without the ‘risotto making gene’ unfortunately. I should keep trying though then I could make this!
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:30 pmI hadn’t thought I might have a risotto making gene – how intriguing! You gotta try making asparagus risotto, it’s so good.
Fiona Maclean
27th April 2017 at 3:46 pmI’ve loved asparagus since I was a kid. We grew it in the garden and I can remember my mother getting SO excited when asparagus season started. And, I do love it like this in a risotto too!
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:27 pmYour mother did well. It’s quite hard to grow asparagus. How wonderful to get it so totally fresh.
Ren Behan
27th April 2017 at 4:10 pmI love an asparagus risotto – perhaps my most favourite way of eating at all – a good tasty stock and a lot of Parmesan – perfect. Lovely photos, too.
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:25 pmThanks Ren. Asparagus has such a good flavour, little else is needed.
Jacqui Bellefontaine
27th April 2017 at 4:35 pmAsparagus and wild garlic – YUM what a fabulous seasonal recipe. Im pinning to try later and ive pinned the recipe for garlic pesto too:)
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:23 pmThanks Jacqui, it’s a lovely combination. Hope you manage to find some wild garlic. The pesto is just brilliant for so many things.
gloria
27th April 2017 at 4:35 pmLove all with asparagus, look delicious !!
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:21 pmThanks Gloria. Asparagus is so good here at this time of year.
Angie@Angie's Recipes
27th April 2017 at 6:42 pmWild garlic and asparagus are so good for us. This is a lovely spring risotto, Choclette.
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:17 pmThanks Angie. I haven’t really looked into the health benefits of asparagus. I’d better go and find out 😉
jenny paulin
27th April 2017 at 6:44 pmthis looks delicious, and I love the freshness of it. There is so much wild garlic growing near me – I really need to go snd get myself some and learn how to cook with it x
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:18 pmOh yes Jenny. Do get some and make pesto with it. It’s so easy and can be used with so many things. I’ve got three different recipes for it on the blog.
Jo @ Jo's Kitchen Larder
27th April 2017 at 8:51 pmI love risotto! It is my go to on busy weekdays and this recipe is just lovely. I am so intrigued by wild garlic which I have seen used in pestos etc. a lot lately but cannot seem to get my hand on. I better try and forage some I guess 🙂
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:16 pmThanks Jo. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen wild garlic for sale, but even if it is, foraging your own will ensure freshness.
kellie@foodtoglow
28th April 2017 at 9:39 amAsparagus is one of my favourite vegetables (after kale and cauliflower!) and risotto is one of our favourite meal time ways of enjoying it. Yours looks a perfect, classic way to enjoy the king of spring veg 🙂
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:14 pmIt really is a fab vegetable Kellie, I look forward to the asparagus season every year. The wild garlic adds a nice touch.
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
28th April 2017 at 11:27 amOooh I need to research where to find some wild garlic from. This meal looks and sounds so good! x #CookBlogShare
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:12 pmThanks Kirsty. You should find it growing in woods and hedgerows – if you’ve got any of those nearby.
Monika Dabrowski
28th April 2017 at 1:38 pmWhat a gorgeous spring recipe, using seasonal asparagus, sweet garden peas and wild garlic pesto – I had no idea you could buy wild garlic pesto! Must look out for it next time I go shopping. I love how light this dish is, too. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare:)
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:09 pmThanks Monika. I’m not sure you can buy wild garlic pesto. I make my own. I’ve three different recipes on the blog – all good 🙂
Charlene Flash
28th April 2017 at 8:58 pmLooks wonderful. Asparagus is such a wonderful vegetable. I would love to make this dish at home x
Choclette
28th April 2017 at 9:06 pmAsparagus is just so good Charlene and it works beautifully in risotto.
Mari
28th April 2017 at 11:22 pmThis looks so delicious, Choclette! I’m in the process of getting to know asparagus more because I didn’t cook/eat it much but would really like too… after few trials with wild and regular asparagus I’m in search of more ideas. Risotto sounds great! 🙂
Choclette
29th April 2017 at 7:58 pmAsparagus works really well in risotto, but I also love it just boiled, grilled or roasted.
Amber
1st May 2017 at 4:21 amI love asparagus season, unfortunately it’s a long way off for me! This is a lovely looking risotto.
Choclette
3rd May 2017 at 9:17 amEr yes, I guess it is. What seasonal produce are you enjoying instead?
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
1st May 2017 at 8:56 amI know just what you mean about asparagus – it’s such a short season isn’t it – though I guess that makes us appreciate it all the more. I love the idea of adding a wild garlic pesto into the risotto. It sounds absolutely delicious.
Angela x
Choclette
3rd May 2017 at 9:15 amThanks Angela. I really like seasonal food for that very reason. I’ve so much wild garlic pesto at the moment, I’m adding it to everything, but it did work really well in this risotto.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
1st May 2017 at 11:39 amThat sounds lovely! I haven’t made risotto is months but it is always so good for the soul!
Choclette
3rd May 2017 at 9:10 amIt is Rebecca, especially when it contains the new season asparagus 🙂
pebble soup
1st May 2017 at 6:16 pmI’m just back from Cornwall, I couldn’t believe the abundance of wild garlic and this is an amazing way to use it. Though I’m not sure that I am prepared to pay £2 for a tiny bunch.
Choclette
3rd May 2017 at 9:09 amOh, I hope you had a lovely time down here. I’ve never seen wild garlic for sale. £2 sounds like an awful lot.