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.