26 Mar 2011

Romantic Recipe for a spring evening...

We're coming up to Asparagus and Watercress season in the next couple of months so, while you're peckish after reading This Last Summer or Sweet Seduction, why not gather together some yummy ingredients and cook up a storm? It's the perfect dish for a romantic summer evening.
See links for my books below. The recipe is courtesy of Hampshire Farmers' Markets, the home of great local food and the holder of the UK Urban Farmers' Market of the Year award. Check out the link for more great recipes and, if you're in the area, market dates.
Asparagus, Watercress and Pan Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto
Serves 4 -
Ingredients:
4 tbsp olive oil or Pratt’s Rapeseed oil
4 shallots finely chopped
2 garlic cloves sliced
2 bundles of asparagus trimmed and cut into 3cm lengths
100g red and yellow cherry tomatoes cut in half
200g  risotto rice
1 small glass of white wine
1 ltr hot chicken or vegetable stock,
2 bunches of watercress roughly chopped
50g lightly salted butter, cut into cubes
50g grated Parmesan
Salt and cracked black pepper
Method:
  1. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and then add the shallots and garlic. Sweat for 10 minutes until the shallots and garlic turn translucent without any colour.
  2. While the shallots and garlic are cooking, heat a medium sized frying pan, add the rest of the oil. When the oil stars to smoke add the asparagus and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, cook for a 30 seconds or until the tomatoes start to wilt slightly, then remove from the heat and set aside.
  3. By now the onions should be ready, stir in the rice and keep cooking and stirring until the rice has also turned translucent, then add the wine and simmer until it has reduced by half.
  4. Now start to add the hot stock, stirring the rice every now and then. Keep adding the stock a little at a time until the rice is cooked with a slight bite to it. About 20 minutes.
  5. When the rice is cooked, stir in the watercress, asparagus and tomatoes. Remove from the heat and add the butter and half of the Parmesan, season with salt and pepper.
Buy This Last Summer
or buy this book in other formats from  Smashwords

Or buy in other formats from Smashwords