Rice with Asparagus

Ingredients:

450g fresh asparagus
60g unsalted butter
1 medium onion, finely chopped
450g arborio (or carnaroli) rice
1 small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method:

Prepare the asparagus by breaking the asparagus stalks where they yield (peel if the skin seems tough). Meanwhile, fill a deep, wide pan with enough water to about four times the depth of the asparagus. Bring to the boil, season with a little salt then place the spears inside and cook for at most four minutes.

Remove the asparagus and allow to cool. Reserve the cooking liquid in a bowl or jug then clean and dry the pot. Add the butter to the dried pot and melt over medium heat before adding the onion. Cook until the onion has softened then add the rice and stir for a minute or two to ensure the grains are coated.

Add a ladle of the reserved cooking water and keep stirring until it has all been absorbed by the rice. Repeat the process until the rice has plumped and is entirely cooked (some 20 minutes). The consistency should be creamy but slightly liquid at this point. Add the chopped parsley, then grate-in as much Parmesan as you like (at least 50g).

Remove from the heat, stir-in the asparagus and serve immediately.