Cooking risotto is surprisingly easy, the secret to a good risotto comes in adding the stock in small amounts and continuously stirring to ensure the rice cooks evenly. In this recipe we add some vegan butter to give it a creamy finish.
The vegan “scallops” are made from seared slices of heart of palm. Heart of palm can be bought tinned in supermarkets and has a relatively neutral taste. They can be sliced and seared to create a vegan scallop substitute. Heart of palm is generally canned in brine and should be soaked in fresh water for half an hour before using.
If you like this recipe, click the link here to check out my creamy Vegan Mushroom and Leek Risotto.
Vegan “scallop” and Asparagus Risotto
Cooking risotto is surprisingly easy, the secret to a good risotto comes in adding the stock in small amounts and continuously stirring to ensure the rice cooks evenly. In this recipe we add some vegan butter to give it a creamy finish.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 shallots finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic diced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/3 cup dry white wine
- 1 litre vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter
- 4 stalks asparagus cut into 2cm pieces
- 400 g tin heart of palm cut into 1.5cm slices
- salt and white pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat half the olive oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the shallots to the pan and sauté for 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and sauté a further 5 minutes.
- Add the thyme, lemon juice and rice then stir to coat. Allow to toast for 2 minutes. Stir in the wine then allow to simmer stirring regularly until the wine is almost completely evaporated.
- Add the stock ½ a cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing stock to reduce completely before adding more.
- Stir through the butter and asparagus and allow to coo stirring constantly until asparagus is softened. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in a separate pan over medium-high heat. Add the heart of palm slices and sear for 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crisp. Serve atop the risotto.