francesco mazzei's asparagus risotto

Out last night at a combined curry and Eurovision party no less, (yes Ana did win the sweep and yes, we did win the Eurovision quiz, thanks for asking), and planning to stuff ourselves with burgers tomorrow at the annual street party, tonight we're giving our taste buds - and livers - a leetle rest with another installment of Francesco Mazzei's asparagus risotto. And yes, we do have it with prosecco as per the recipe, well I did say leetle rest for our livers.

This time around I don't make the mistake of giving Milo any asparagus tips, just the rice and finely sliced stems, and we cross our fingers the prosecco works it's sleep-inducing magic on him, as he's massively, MASSIVELY over-excited about the party tomorrow, and is desperate to put up bunting.

Wine Time
No need to reinvent the wheel here, or at least I haven't drunk anything different since then that has changed my mind: Stick with a light Italian white with crisp acidity and some herbal notes, like a Soave or Gavi and you won't go wrong.

Actually scrub that, if you can find it a Roero Arneis from Piedmonte would be amazing, with it's balance of delicate floral fruits and salty, mineral qualities. Go find one and let me know what you think - I think it's my new favourite white.

sources

asparagus risotto - Francesco Mazzei, Delicious, May 2013, p76

francesco mazzei's asparagus risotto

I'm a recent convert to risotto, and whilst I've not attempted anything too fancy, I've finally got my head around the basics, and I embrace the stirring process rather than hate it. Wine also helps of course, as does a large quantity of parmesan, because if it goes wrong you can always just nuke it with cheese.

This new-found geekiness gets an extra fillip this week with the arrival of the new edition of Delicious, and Francesco Mazzei's prosecco-infused asparagus risotto therein. Prosecco right? Oh, and seasonal asparagus, because my wee doesn't smell enough, but mainly fizzy booze.

It's got quite a delicate flavour despite the parmesan; The fizz imparts a lovely floral quality whilst the asparagus brings in its own pungency, and the nutmeg and butter-fried tips are delicious in their own right. Even Milo eats it, being up late and doing his butter-wouldn't-melt act, although he draws the line at the tips.

Still, total winner and with the added benefit of increasing my risotto geekiness as Mazzei warms his rice first, which is worth a try next time I'm knocking one up.

Wine Time
Generally Sauvignon Blanc is a nailed-on contender with asparagus, but this isn't a full-on flavour bomb, so it needs something subtler to pair with it. Seeing as you used it in the cooking, Prosecco is an obviously good choice here, as would a good Soave or Gavi, whose herbal qualities and mouthwatering citrus notes would cut through the rice, whilst highlighting the flavours in the dish.

sources
asparagus risotto - Francesco Mazzei, Delicious, May 2013, p76