One of our favorite risottos of all time is on the menu at Blue Waters Cafe, an elegant beach-side bistro right across from Cottesloe beach in Perth, a white & turquoise gem on the west coast of Australia. The risotto features perfectly cooked fresh seasonal vegetables on a bed of lemony, creamy arborio. Every time we order this lemon risotto it’s a treat, best enjoyed alongside a glass crisp Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc from nearby Margaret River.
Sometimes when you’re going out for dinner at a high-end restaurant, at first glance there may not appear to be that many vegan or vegetarian selections available. Luckily, we have found that quality chefs are happy to cater for vegans and vegetarians if you ask… and this risotto is a wonderful example of one such dish we found by using our Top-10 Tips for Vegetarians.
Here’s a tip, to store your asparagus, stand them upright in a tall jar with a little water at the bottom, cover with a plastic bag, and keep them in the in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
For this recipe of asparagus and lemon risotto we blend the creamy arborio rice with a whole grain like farro or spelt berries to give a varied texture, flavor, and added nutritional boost. Fresh asparagus are featured as the perfect accent to the lemony backdrop, alongside spring leeks and baby spinach. Toasted crumbs are a risotto revelation and should always be used to add a perfect light crunch.
Healthy comfort food at it’s finest, this is asparagus and lemon risotto is one of our favorite meals for date night… We know you’ll love it.
Asparagus & Lemon Risotto with Toasted Crumbs
Featuring fresh spring asparagus, this bright lemon risotto is made with arborio rice and farro (or spelt berries) for a delicious texture and flavor. A spicy toasted crumb topping completes the dish.
Lemon Asparagus Risotto
- 3/4 cup Farro or Spelt Berries
- 6-8 cups low sodium vegetable stock*
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 leeks (or 1/2 onion, chopped finely)
- 3 cloves of garlic (crushed or chopped.**)
- 2 large lemon peels (4" long each)
- 3/4 cup Arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 bunch asparagus (450g or 1 lb trimmed, cut into 2-inch lengths)
- 1/4 cup sharp cheddar or vegetarian parmesan (omit to make it vegan)
- 1 cup baby spinach or baby kale (roughly chopped)
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 tsp grated lemon zest
Toasted Crumbs
- 2 slices of whole-grain bread
- 1/4 c walnuts (or almonds, hazelnuts)
- 1/2 tsp chili flakes
- pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Lemon Asparagus Risotto
- Boil the farro or spelt berries in water or stock for 20-25 minutes until al dente, drain and set aside.
- Begin the Toasted Crumbs (see below).
- Warm the vegetable stock in a small pot.
- Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, and wash them under running water while fanning the leaves out to clean thoroughly. Slice the white portion into 1 cm pieces. (You can freeze leek greens with other vegetables to make a homemade stock).
- Heat up a large pot or casserole dish on medium and add a little splash of olive oil.
- Sauté the leeks (or onion) for 5 minutes until they start to look translucent.
- Add the chopped garlic along with the lemon peels and arborio rice.
- Stir frequently for several minutes until the rice starts to toast and become slightly translucent.
- Add in the white wine, stir for a couple of minutes, and add the drained farro or spelt berries.
- Add in a ladle-full of the warm stock. Stir the risotto with a wooden spoon until the stock is absorbed. Keep the risotto at a medium-light simmer, and continue adding in stock and stirring often for 35-40 minutes. This is a great time to enjoy some wine and company while taking turns to stir!
- Meanwhile, lightly pan fry the asparagus and add a splash of water to the pan to give them a quick steam and a bright green color. (you can also roast the asparagus in the oven, but check often so they do not get overcooked)
- Taste the grains when they start to look soft and creamy, and control the amount of stock you add near the end of the cooking time to get your preferred consistency. Grains should be soft with a little bite.
- Remove the 2 lemon peels. If you can’t find some of the pieces this is fine they will just add to the overall flavor.
- Stir in the chopped baby spinach or kale leaves, and cover to let them wilt.
- Stir in the asparagus, lemon zest, lemon juice and some (optional) shaved parmesan or sharp cheddar cheese.
- Serve into bowls.
- Sprinkle with toasted crumbs and serve immediately with a crisp white wine.
Toasted Crumbs
- Bake the bread slices at 275 F/140 C for 20-30 minutes, turning half way through until very dried out and crumbly. Day old crusty bread works best for this, but you can also make it from frozen bread.
- If you are using a food processor – Chop the bread into cubes and pulse into large crumbs. Add the walnuts, chili flakes and salt. Briefly pulse again to chop the nuts.
- If you are using a knife – Chop the bread into large crumbs and roughly chop the walnuts.
- Mix in the salt and chili flakes.
- Sauté the crumbs in a pan with a little olive oil until toasted and sizzling.
- Set aside (if you can)… They are delicious sprinkled on just about everything!
*The stock you choose adds a lot of flavor to the risotto so make sure you are using a great organic stock! The best are homemade, but our favorite store-bought version is the Better Than Bouillon organic vegetable stock.
**Chop your garlic at the beginning of your meal prep to trigger an enzyme reaction that maximizes garlic’s powerful health benefits.
Let us know if you make this! We’d love to hear your comments.
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If you are anything like us, it feels like summer has truly arrived once fresh peaches are in season. Traditionally relegated to pies, compotes, desserts, or even a pizza, this risotto redefines the juicy Georgia peach as a must-use ingredient for a savory summer dish.
Combined with a couple squeaky cheese curds and a crunchy pecan chili topping this risotto is just delicious. Trust us on this one; we think your taste buds will agree.
In our view, a risotto made entirely with traditional white Arborio rice, selected for its high starch and short-grain creaminess, misses the nutrition available from whole grains. On a quest to eat healthier and more nutritious meals, this dish had been knocked down on our dinner rotation somewhat. Not willing to settle for that fate, we’ve been testing our alternatives.
An exclusively whole grain risotto (one using only short brown rice, wheat berries, barley, etc.) can be quite earthy. We find this 50/50 blend keeps traditional risotto creaminess while boosting its nutritional benefit. Consider it the best of both worlds, and a compromise for the whole grain experimenter.
If you are just starting out cooking with whole grains, it might be helpful to know that a spelt berry is the entire wheat kernel, and a variety of wheat berry. Either could be used in this recipe.
Spelt Berries and Arborio Rice
Cheese curds, if you’ve never come across them, are the youngest form of cheese and most often a precursor to cheddar. In small bite-sized bits, they have a slightly rubbery texture that squeak when eaten cold. Once stirred into the risotto however, you’ll find a slightly chewy and delightfully stringy bite. Typically from Wisconsin or Canada, they are available at many specialty grocers, though if you have trouble tracking them down use a flavorful Parmigiano-Reggiano instead.
Last, though certainly not least, everyone knows that peaches and pecans are perfectly paired 
Thanks to Denis Cotter’s For the Love of Food, we’ve become big fans of a crumb topping on risottos and the great variety of texture they bring. The slightly spicy and crisp pecan crumb reunites the Georgia peaches with their perfect companion, and rounds the dish out for a delightful summer meal.
Pecan Chilli Crumb
Enjoy with a simple side salad, and a glass of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.
Peach & Spelt Berry Risotto with a Pecan Chilli Crumb
Sweet Georgia peaches and a toasty pecan crumb accentuate this creamy risotto packed with the whole grain nutrition of spelt berries. Wheat berries can also be substituted for spelt berries.
Risotto
- 3/4 cups spelt berries
- 6 cups of low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves of crushed garlic
- 3/4 cups arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 teaspoon of thyme
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 fresh peaches
- 1 cup of fresh cheese curds
Crumb topping
- 2-3 small slices (approx 40 grams of bread (day old or frozen))
- 4 tablespoons pecans (chopped coarsely)
- 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped finely)
- 2 teaspoons of dried red chili flakes
Risotto
- Boil the spelt berries in plenty of water for 20 minutes, until semi-tender.
- Warm stock in a second pot, keep on low heat.
- In a large stockpot on medium heat, sauté the diced onion and garlic in olive oil, about 5 minutes
- Add the arborio rice, and stir until slightly toasty, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the spelt berries, white wine, and thyme.
- Stir risotto mixture over low-medium/medium heat until warmed and most liquid is absorbed. Add 1/3 cup of stock and stir until absorbed. Continue to add stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring regularly, keeping the temperature at a very soft simmer. While the risotto cooks, prepare the crumb topping.
- When approximately 1 cup of stock remains, check the tenderness of the risotto to your taste and continue adding stock as desired.
- Slice the peaches into bite sized pieces.
Crumb Topping
- Toast your bread on low until it is dried out and crisp on each side.
- Chop the bread, along with the pecans and parsley, into rough crumbs.
- In a pan heat up 1 tbsp olive oil and add bread crumbs, pecans and parsley, string frequently until toasted and fragrant. Set aside.
Plating
- Immediately before serving, stir the peach slices and cheese curds into the risotto pot.
- Dish into a bowl, and top with a generous sprinkling of crumb
- Serve with a simple green side salad, and glass of Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
Please, let us know what you think!
