Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 200g basmati rice, rinsed
- 400ml good-quality vegetable stock
- 25g butter
- 250g British asparagus, chopped into 3 pieces, tips reserved
- 50g blanched almonds, chopped
- 1 fat garlic clove, crushed
- 200g broad beans, blanched and double podded
- 175g griddled artichoke hearts (from most supermarkets and good delis)
- Handful of fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
- 25g pecorino, grated
- Juice of ½ lemon
Method
- 1. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan or large frying pan over a low-medium heat and add the onion. Cook without colouring for 5 minutes or so until softened and translucent. Add the rice, coat thoroughly in the oil, then pour in the stock along with a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes until the rice is plump and tender and the liquid has nearly all disappeared.
- 2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a separate frying pan and, when sizzling, add the chopped asparagus stems with some seasoning. Fry for a few minutes until they colour and shrivel a little, then toss in the almonds with the asparagus tips and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and broad beans, warm through for 2 minutes, then stir in the artichoke hearts and set aside.
- 3. When the rice is almost cooked, take the lid off and cook uncovered for 2 minutes more. Toss through the asparagus mixture, parsley, pecorino and lemon juice, check the seasoning and serve immediately.
Nutritional info
Per serving: 430kcal, 18.2g fat (5.5g saturated), 15.4g protein, 47.5g carbs (6.6g sugars), 0.4g salt, 7.6g fibre
Chef’s tip
Next time, why not try adding roasted butternut squash and toasted macadamia nuts instead of the artichokes and almonds. You could also toss any leftovers with some salad leaves, then serve them cold the next day for lunch.
