StirMATE Gen 4 recipe

Saffron-Asparagus Risotto

Golden Carnaroli risotto with saffron, tender asparagus and a buttery Parmesan finish.

Cookware not included.

What you’ll need

Ingredients

US equivalents are approximate. Ounces and pounds are weights; cups and spoons are volumes. Use metric amounts for the most precise result.

190g (about 6¾ oz by weight) Carnaroli rice, not rinsed.
650ml (about 2¾ US cups) pale, low-salt stock, kept hot; you may not need all of it.
Up to 80ml (about ⅓ US cup) additional hot water.
48g (about 1¾ oz by weight) shallot, finely diced.
60ml (about ¼ US cup) dry white wine.
8g extra-virgin olive oil.
28g (about 1 oz by weight) unsalted butter, divided into two 14g (about ½ oz by weight) portions.
Up to 21g (about ¾ oz by weight) finely grated Parmesan.
0.12g saffron threads.
25–30g asparagus, blanched and cut into bite-size pieces; reserve 3–4 tips for serving.
2g flat-leaf parsley, torn or finely chopped just before serving.
Fine salt and black pepper, to taste.

Step by step

Steep the saffron in about 50ml (about 3 tbsp + 1 tsp) hot stock for at least 10 minutes. Blanch the asparagus for 60–90 seconds, cool it immediately, and reserve 3–4 tips for serving.
Add the oil and first 14g (about ½ oz by weight) butter before heating. Run the Stirring Wand in Mode 2 (Auto-Reverse) at the lowest speed that keeps the shallot moving and soften the shallot for 3–4 minutes without browning.
Add the rice gradually and toast it for about 2 minutes. Add the wine, let it absorb, then add about 275ml (about 1 US cup + 2 tbsp + 1 tsp) hot stock and establish a gentle simmer.
Add the remaining hot stock in 75–100ml (about 5–6½ tbsp) portions only as absorbed. Target 17–20 minutes after the first stock addition. You may not need all the stock.
Add the saffron infusion at about 12–14 minutes and most of the asparagus at 15–16 minutes. Start tasting at 15 minutes and use the hot-water reserve in 20–30ml (about 4–6 tsp) additions if the risotto tightens.
Off heat, keep StirMATE at its lowest speed and add the second 14g (about ½ oz by weight) butter plus the Parmesan gradually for 15–30 seconds. Stop adding Parmesan once the risotto is glossy and the grains remain defined. Finish with parsley and serve loose with the reserved asparagus tips.