Asparagus Risotto

Method

1. Clean the asparagus: snap off the woody ends (for regular asparagus) or peel the fibrous part (for wild asparagus) to expose the tender tips. Reserve the scraps for the broth. Cut the regular asparagus into small cubes (0.5-1 cm). For wild asparagus, cut into pieces of moderate size.
2. Prepare the broth: In a pot, combine 1.5 L water, 70 g each of celery, carrot, and onion cut into chunks, 4 cherry tomatoes halved, 1 garlic clove halved, and the asparagus scraps. Cover, bring to a boil, add salt, and simmer for 20 minutes. Keep warm.
3. Toast the rice: Place 350 g Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice in a dry pan over medium heat. Stir until it reaches about 60°C, becomes fragrant and slightly white. Transfer to a plate to cool.
4. Divide 50 g butter: set aside about 30 g in the freezer; keep the remaining 20 g for cooking.
5. In a pan, melt 18-20 g butter until lightly nutty. Add the asparagus tips (and if desired, add leek cut into small pieces at this point for a sweeter flavor). Season with a pinch of salt. Add a splash of hot broth and cook until the liquid evaporates.
6. Add the toasted rice to the pan. Pour in enough broth to cover the rice by about a finger's width. Stir once, then cook without stirring over medium-low heat until the broth is absorbed.
7. Continue adding broth in batches, always waiting for absorption, until the rice is cooked to one minute less than the package cooking time. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
8. Remove from heat. Add the cold butter from the freezer and the grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir vigorously (mantecatura) until the risotto is creamy and smooth. Season with black pepper, chopped parsley, and a final small piece of butter. Optionally, toss the risotto to incorporate air.
9. Cover the pan and let the risotto rest for 1-1.5 minutes (the remaining cooking time).
10. Serve the risotto on flat plates. Garnish with a few asparagus tips that have been briefly cooked in the hot broth, and drizzle with raw extra virgin olive oil.