- 1 pound asparagus
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 cups long grain rice
- 1/3 cup 15% cream
- freshly ground salt and pepper
- 1 cup grated Canadian Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 pound cooked crabmeat
- Gremolata
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
- Trim and discard the woody ends of the asparagus. Cut trimmed spears into 1-inch (2.5 cm) sections, reserving the tips separately.
- In a saucepan, bring chicken stock to a boil. Poach asparagus tips in stock 2 minutes. Using a skimmer, drain and rinse under cold water. Drain and set aside.
- Add asparagus sections to the boiling stock and poach 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside with the asparagus still in it.
- In a heavy-bottomed pot or risotto pan, melt butter and sweat onion 5 minutes without browning. Add rice and stir for 1 minute. Add wine and cook 2 minutes at low heat while stirring.
- Reheat the chicken stock with the asparagus sections in it. Add one ladle of hot stock to the rice. Cook and stir until all the liquid has been absorbed. Repeat the process until all the stock has been used and the rice is creamy but still al dente, about 18 minutes.
- Add cream and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the cheese and two thirds of the crab and the asparagus tips. Reheat the risotto while stirring gently.
- Combine all the ingredients for the gremolata.
- Serve risotto in warm shallow bowls and garnish with remaining crab and asparagus points. Sprinkle with gremolata.