Asparagus and Cherry Tomato Risotto

This weekend just gone I went to my mum's house and she had made a delicious pumpkin risotto for dinner. I had it for lunch the next day too - just as good. I don't think I have had risotto in over a year and I certainly haven't cooked one for a couple of years. But mum's risotto inspired me and so that is what we had for dinner tonight. Risotto is not actually that hard to make, despite what people say. But it is definitely not something you can put on the heat and forget about for a while. You need to devote 25mins of undivided attention to your risotto. If you have a short attention span this is not for you - I recommend you get someone else to cook it for you instead :) Here is my recipe:

Ingredients ~

• 2 spring onions, finely sliced
• 1 stick celery, finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• olive oil
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 bunch of asparagus, chopped into 2-3cm lengths
• 1/2 punnet cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup arborio rice 
• 1/2 cup white wine (I used sav blanc, but whatever you have will work)
• 2-3 cups vegetable stock
• 75g danish feta, crumbled

To Cook ~

• When cutting up the spring onions, slice a fair chunk of the soft dark green part as well. Reserve this to sprinkle on top at the end.
• When cutting the celery remove the leaves and keep these to stir through at the end (yes you can eat celery leaves :) )
• Put the stock in a saucepan and heat up to a low simmer and keep it there.
• Meanwhile saute the springs onions, celery and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the rice and coat well in the mixture.  Keep over medium heat the whole time. 
• Set a timer for 25mins. Add a ladle of hot stock to the rice mixture. When it starts to boil start the timer.
• When nearly all of the liquid has been absorbed, add another ladle full of stock. Keep repeat this process, and shake the pan after each addition of liquid to ensure the rice doesn't stick.
• On the third addition of liquid add the wine and lemon juice instead of stock. 
• After 10mins add the asparagus to the pan. 
• After another 5mins add the cherry tomatoes to the pan. 
• If you run out of liquid heat up a bit more stock to add or add a bit more wine (I vote wine).
• Once the 25mins is up your rice will be ready. Stir through the crumbled feta and the celery leaves.
• Serve up and sprinkle with a little bit of feta and the reserved spring onions. 
• Enjoy :)