Prawn and Asparagus Risotto

I love cooking but I never follow recipes, call it the rebel in me, call it the slattern, but for me I love throwing whatever I fancy together and hoping for the best.  I have honed this skill quite well over the years (much to HAW's disgust who painstakingly follows cook books and *freaks* if he gets it wrong!) and enjoy cooking with the odd glass of pinot to keep me company.

Here's a recipe for a very easy kitchen supper that the kids equally scoff with gusto:

Prawn and Asparagus Risotto with a chilli and lemon kick - feeds 2 greedy adults and 3 hungry kids!

2 packets of raw prawns (or cooked but you just need to add then right at the end of cooking)

2 packets of Asparagus tips which are in season at the moment and just gorgeous!

As many shallots as you like (3-4)

3-4 cloves of garlic

1 fresh chilli

2 fresh lemons

packet of risotto rice - 400-500g

Pint and a half of vegetable stock (I use the water that I have boiled the asparagus in and add a veggie stock cube, told you I was a slattern!)

Method:

1) Cook your asparagus in boiled water until al dente and set aside (but don't throw the water away as this is your stock, do add the stock cube

2) Finely chop and fry the shallots, garlic and chilli in butter then add the risotto rice and gently fry for 2 mins with the juice of the lemons.

3) Then add a ladle of stock and stir, stir, stir.  It's VERY important that the risotto doesn't stick so no sneaking off to tweet!

4) All you need to do now is add the stock a teacup at a time until it has been absorbed by the rice.  This should take about 20 mins on a low heat at which point you just throw in the prawns and asparagus for the last 5 mins of cooking.

Finish the dish with another joosh of lemon, black pepper and lots of paramgiano!

Enjoy

Love

S.A.M xx