IMG_4102Spring is in the air and that asks for a dish with some spring ingredients. Today I’ll tell you how to make a risotto with green asparagus  and wild garlic.

0_grootWild garlic, also called bear leek, is s a wild relative of chives and often found in European woods. The Latin name is due to the brown bear’s taste for the bulbs and its habit of digging up the ground to get at them. Before you head to the woods to pick some, be aware they are a protected species in Belgium. But also be careful not to mistake the leaves with the leaves of some poisonous plants. It’s a better option to go to your local organic market and hope to find some there, or plant it in your own garden. The leaves are really very nice in salads and spice up other dishes. So let’s get started.

IMG_4095You need :

  • 1 onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 30gr butter
  • 250 gr Risotto rice
  • 20cl white wine
  • 1/2 liter vegetable stock
  • a bunch of green asparagus
  • a bunch of wild garlic leaves
  • 60 gr parmesan cheese (grated)
  • 100 gr soft goat cheese (with or without herbs)

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Now let’s start cooking :

  • chop the onion and garlic in small pieces, melt the butter in a pot and cook the onion and garlic until it turns gold.
  • add the rice and mix with the onions just for some minutes and than add the white wine and let it cook a bit until the alcohol evaporates.
  • Now start to add the vegetable stock bit by bit and stir constantly. The rice should always be covered with the stock for at least the first 15 minutes of cooking.

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  • Steam your asparagus for about 5 minutes and cut them in small pieces, also chop the wild garlic.
  • When the rice is “al dente” you can add the parmesan, goat cheese, asparagus and wild garlic. Mix it thoroughly with the rice. Take the pot from the fire and let it rest for about 2 minutes.
  • Serve on a plate and add some raw wild garlic leaves and asparagus tops to decorate.

Enjoy !