Asparagus Risotto with Lemon, Dill and Goat Cheese

Method

1. 1Get everything ready before you start. Risotto doesn't wait. Have your stock hot on a back burner. Snap the woody ends from the asparagus where they naturally break, then cut the stalks into 2 cm rounds and set the tips aside separately — they cook differently and you want them to look good on top. Dice the onion small. Mince the garlic. Zest the lemon into a small bowl, then cut it in half and keep the juice ready. Measure out the wine, have the goat cheese and dill nearby. Once the rice starts absorbing stock, you can't leave it.
2. 2Build the base and toast the rice. In a wide, heavy pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent — don't rush this, under-cooked onion leaves a raw edge in the finished risotto. Add the garlic and half the lemon zest. Cook 1 minute more. Add the rice and stir well to coat every grain in the fat. Toast for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the edges of the grains look slightly translucent and the whole pan smells faintly nutty. Pour in the wine — it should hiss and bubble. Stir until it's completely absorbed, about 1 minute.
3. 3Add the stock, ladle by ladle. Add one ladle of hot stock (about 120 ml) and stir. The risotto shouldn't be swimming, but it shouldn't be dry either. Let it come to a low simmer and stir fairly regularly, not constantly — the myth about never stopping stirring is overstated, but you do need to keep it moving. When the stock is nearly absorbed, add another ladle. Continue this way for about 16 to 18 minutes, until the rice is almost cooked but still has a small amount of resistance at the center. Add the asparagus stalk pieces with the second-to-last ladle of stock, so they cook through in those final 4 to 5 minutes. The risotto should be loose enough to move slowly when you tilt the pan.
4. 4Finish off the heat. Pull the pan off the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the Parmesan, half the goat cheese, all of the dill, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds — this is the mantecatura, the step that makes risotto creamy through emulsification rather than cream. The butter melts into the starchy cooking liquid and creates a glossy sauce. Taste, and adjust lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The risotto should be fluid enough to spread slowly on a plate. If it's too stiff, add a small splash of hot stock and stir again.
5. 5Cook the asparagus tips and serve. In a small pan, heat a little olive oil over high heat. Add the reserved asparagus tips, season with salt, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing once or twice, until they're bright green and slightly charred at the tips. Spoon the risotto into warm shallow bowls immediately — it keeps cooking in the residual heat of the pan and will thicken fast. Top each bowl with the sautéed asparagus tips, the remaining goat cheese crumbled over the top, the reserved lemon zest, and a few extra fronds of dill. Black pepper, a drizzle of good olive oil. Serve straight away.