A Spring Lunch

There is nothing for it but to have the girls for lunch, minus poor Susanna, who is stuck in Barcelona after escaping Marrakesh in the midst of the mayhem caused by the fallout from Iceland's ash. I'm afraid, at this time of year, it has to be something involving asparagus. I cannot get enough of it! All shapes, sizes, varieties qualify, but wild is the best, if you can get it. Astonishingly, it bursts forth from the earth and grows nine inches in a single day. How amazing is that?

A really good homemade vegetable or light chicken stock is essential for asparagus risotto. Don't dream of making it with anything from a cube or a tin, or be fobbed off by Marco Pierre White's sellout to a brand who shall remain nameless. How could he, I ask myself? Stock is easy to make - always use the freshest vegetables you have, peelings and stalks as well, a chicken carcass if you want, and lots of fresh herbs and seasonings [although the choices you make will greatly affect the outcome - not too strong for asparagus].

This recipe is from the lovely Ursula Ferrigno, although I also regularly use Valentina Harris's one from her 'Risotto, Risotto' book. Valentina taught me to make risotto many years ago in Lucca. The thing that I remember more than anything is the need to get the rice grains to 'crack' when you first add them to the pan - you have to listen carefully but you can definitely hear the little 'pop'. Only then will the grain absorb the liquid and swell up with flavour.


RISOTTO CON ASPARIGI SELVATICI for 4

[.....and doesn't it sound so much sexier in Italian!]

500g asparagus, trimmed and thoroughly washed
1 tbs olive oil
150g unsalted butter
6 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
350g vialone nano risotto rice [you can also use carniroli or arborio rice but this is the best and most authentic]
1 litre hot vegetable broth
7 tbs white wine
100 g freshly grated Parmesan
a handful of fresh basil leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cut the tips off the asparagus and set aside. Cut the spears into 3/4 pieces.

Heat the oil and butter together in a deep sided saute pan. Saute the shallots over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped asparagus spears and cook over a low heat for about 4 minutes, then add the rice. Mix so that all the grains are coated.

Add 3 tbs of hot broth and stir until absorbed. Add the wine and continue stirring until you need more liquid. Add the hot broth a ladleful at a time, stirring well between each addition, and not adding more until the last ladleful has been absorbed. Continue until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is creamy. This should take 18 - 20 minutes Add the asparagus tips about 5 minutes before the end of cooking.

Stir in the cheese, salt, pepper and basil, place the lid on the pan and leave to rest for 1 minute.

You could have a peppery rocket salad with this with, perhaps, a citrus dressing to contrast with the creaminess of the risotto.

Fantastico!


RHUBARB CRUMBLE for 6-8

My friend Simone gave me some stems of her delicious rhubarb, fresh from her 'potager'. I have to say that I love rhubarb stewed with a little grated fresh ginger and sugar, cooled and then put into a glass and chilled with some Greek yoghurt on top and coated with cinnamon sugar, crushed hazlenuts and a few little pieces of stem ginger. A crumble, though, along with a 'fool', is the definitive rhubarb pud.

700g new season rhubarb
50g organic caster sugar
2 tsp grated fresh ginger

Stew the fruit gently until almost 'al dente'. Taste for sweetness. You could add some chopped stem ginger and a little of the syrup at this stage if you fancy. Transfer to an ovenproof dish and allow to cool whilst you make the crumble. preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ gas 4.

50g butter
100g unbleached white flour
50g cinnamon sugar
50g ground whole almonds, skins left on [I find a coffee grinder does the trick]

Rub the butter into the flour, rubbing with your fingers up to the palms of your hands, until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Then add the sugar and ground almonds and lift through. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the rhubarb and bake for 30/ 40 minutes.

Whip some cream until just soft and fold in a dessertspoonful of 'Disarrono', which used to be called 'Amaretto', to serve.

A good cup of expresso is all you need to finish [and perhaps a teeny glass of 'Disarrono' too!].

Bon appetito!