It’s the peak season for fresh seasonal fruit and veggies from the farmer’s market – and for all of us currently cooking and eating at home, this is great news! Home chefs are expanding their kitchen playbooks, seeking the most versatile ingredients to plan their meals around. And when it comes to vegetables, there are few that fit this description better than farm fresh asparagus.
On the plate, and on the palate, asparagus adds an earthy elegance to any protein, and becomes the defining characteristic for any risotto or pasta that you add it to. As with most produce, asparagus presents its most vibrant flavors the fresher it is when eaten. While not everyone has easy access to a farmer’s market, some great delivery services have risen up to meet that need. In the New York area, Farm To People has emerged as a leading provider of small yield produce, dairy and meats – all of which can be delivered straight to your door. Farm to People sources its asparagus from Fifer Orchards, a family farm in Kent County, Delaware.
Fifer Orchards, a family farm in Kent County, Delaware (photo courtesy for Fifer Orchards)
“You have to eat them fresh, as close as you can to the day of harvesting.” Curt Fifer, a fourth-generation farmer at Fifer Orchards, told us. “Asparagus is a very delicate [variety of] produce. If you have to refrigerate it, wrap it in a moist paper towel. And don’t over-cook it. The sweet spot for flavor is when it’s still crunchy.”
Curt keeps it simple for his favorite recipe: Either sautéed in butter and garlic, or steamed with grated cheese.
(ph Giada Paoloni)
“As an Italian in America, my favorite recipes are a little bit all over the map: Broiled served with salmon on a cedar plank; boiled with truffle and egg; vellutata with cream cheese and balsamic reduction. However, if I had to pick one to share, it would be risotto with asparagus, saffron, and bottarga. When I traveled to Sicily with Donna Lennard (of the restaurant and brand Il Buco), she introduced me to bottarga, the local delicately cured fish roe, and I have used it constantly since then. Saffron and bottarga are two very distinct flavors that enhance one another, adding character to the classic asparagus risotto, while giving it a beautiful amber glow.”
Risotto with Asparagus, Saffron and Bottarga by Giada Paoloni
For 2 people:
Ingredients:
200 g risotto rice (I recommend Vialone Nano)
10 asparagus, cut into small discs with the heads sets aside
2 anchovies
1 garlic clove, chopped
A pinch of saffron
1 small shallot, chopped
Onion and carrots for the broth
Butter
Shaved bottarga
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
White cooking wine
Black pepper (optional)
Method:
Blanch the asparagus in warm water to open up the thorns on the spears for 4-5 minutes.
Boil onion and carrots in a pot to make a vegetable broth, which you will add to the risotto throughout the cooking to keep it from drying out.
In the meantime, make a soffrito for the rice: Coat the bottom of a large saucepan with olive oil over medium heat. Add ½ of a diced red onion and 1 diced shallot. Once the onions are translucent, add anchovies until they begin to break apart and dissolve. Without adding any more liquid, add the risotto rice to toast and infuse with the flavor of the soffrito. Stir until nicely coated.
Add a few splashes of white wine. Slowly stir until the liquid from the wine cooks off.
Add the vegetable broth, little by little, throughout the rest of the cooking, stirring continuously.
In another small pot, heat some water over low heat and add the saffron. Once the liquid takes on the color of the saffron, start to add it to the risotto along with the vegetable broth. Keep adding the saffron water and broth until the risotto reaches its desired texture – al dente.
Add the fresh asparagus about 4-5 minutes before the risotto reaches the desired texture. This will soften the asparagus slightly, but it will still retain its crunch. Turn off the heat and stir in a spoonful of butter.
Serve on individual plates and grate a thin layer of bottarga on top. Add high-quality olive oil with a few flicks of the wrist and serve immediately with a nice Friulano wine.