Pea and Asparagus Oven Baked Brown Risotto 🍀

This oven baked brown risotto ticks all the boxes for me ✅ It's easy to make with minimal stirring required 🙌and the brown rice gives it a delicious nutty taste. 

The method of cooking brown rice in this recipe can be used as the basis for all your baked brown risottos. Don't be afraid to change up your vegetables. I often use the same rice base and add oven baked pumpkin and sautéed mushrooms. Baked sprouts (cut then in half) are a great substitute for asparagus too. You could also add shredded chicken for a more substantial meal. 

A customer reminded me today that this particular risotto recipe is a favourite with all his family, including his fussy teenagers. That really makes me happy 😃 

Serves 4-6

Recipe adapted from Cookie and Kate 

Ingredients 

• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 large brown onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed 
• 5 cups vegetable or chicken stock (or 4 cups stock and 1 cup water)
• 1½ cups Chef’s Choice medium grain brown rice (this is delicious)
•  At least 500 g asparagus spears
•  1½ cups fresh peas
• 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
•  ½ cup dry white wine, optional
•  3 tablespoons butter, diced (use less if you like)
•  1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
•  Freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
•  Pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
•  Zest and juice of ½ lemon
•  Handful chopped fresh mint 

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius
2. Prepare the asparagus by washing and snapping off the tough ends and discarding them, then cutting the spears diagonally into 4 cm long pieces. On a large baking tray lined with baking paper, toss the asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Put the asparagus in the oven for  at least 15 minutes, until tender and roasted to your liking. Alternatively, you can sauté the asparagus in a fry pan with a little olive oil.
3. In the meantime, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 mins and stir occasionally. Add the crushed garlic and cook for a further 1-2 mins. Then add the rice and stir well. 
4. Add 4 cups broth, stir, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cover the saucepan and bake in a hot oven for 50 minutes
5. Remove the rice from the oven after 50 minutes and transfer to your stovetop with low heat. Take off the lid from your saucepan (please use mittens 🙏🏼) and pour in the remaining hot cup of broth, wine, parmesan, butter, salt, a generous amount of pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes, and the zest and juice of half your lemon.
6. Add your peas at this stage. Stir well with a big wooden spoon for 2-3 mins or until the risotto is nice and creamy. The peas should cook with the steam.
7. Finally stir in the baked asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Divide into bowls and top with a generous sprinkling of chopped fresh mint, maybe some extra parmesan and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar 😋

This is one of my faves. Hope it’s yours too!