Spring is finally here and that only means one thing – asparagus season! This risotto brings out the best in both the asparagus and the creamy cashew sauce, making the dish a perfect pairing for spring and summer.

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Risotto base

3 dl Risotto rice
0,75 l Vegetable stock
1 tsp Oil

Sautéed asparagus

500 g Asparagus
3 small Red onions
4 cloves of Garlic
2 tsp Oil

Cashew-Chili Cream

200 g Raw cashew nuts
0,25 l Vegetable stock
1 whole Red chili
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Black pepper
Juice of half a lemon

1. In a large pot, heat up the oil and add the risotto rice. Stir until the rice gets a bit translucent.
2. Start adding 1-1,5 dl of vegetable stock to the rice at the time. Stir and let the liquid absorb to the rice and keep adding the stock until you’ve got 1 dl of liquid left (this will be used later). Remove the risotto from the heat and set it aside to wait.

Making the sautéed asparagus:

1. Slice the onions and garlic finely and wash and dry the asparagus. Cut off the asparagus’ woody ends (aroud 5-7 cm) and slice the rest of the asparagus into 1 cm slices leaving the tops untouched.
2. In a pan, heat up the oil and add the onions and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes and add the asparagus. Keep stirring everything for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add a lid to the pan and turn off the heat. Let the asparagus, onion and garlic sit on the pan for a few more minutes. Set the pan aside to wait with the lid still on.

Making the cashew-chili cream:

1. Start by soaking the cashews in boiling hot water. Leave the cashews in the boiling water to soak for at least 45 minutes. Drain after 45 minutes.
2. To a blender, add the cashews, chili, lemon juice, vegetable stock, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth (this takes about 3-4 minutes).

Putting everything together:

1. To the risotto base, add the sautéed asparagus and cashew-chili cream. Mix everything together until you get an evenly creamy risotto. Serve with freshly cracked black pepper on top and ENJOY 💚