Jenny Flynn, the head chef at Faithlegg House Hotel, joined Maria McCann on The Saturday Café for Food at Faithlegg. Jenny has a delicious recipe for Asparagus and Smoked Bacon Lardon Risotto.

Asparagus and smoked bacon lardon risotto

This is a delicious seasonal risotto recipe with asparagus and smoked bacon lardons perfect for this time of year when asparagus is at its best.

You will need

• 300g arborio risotto rice
• 150g smoked bacon lardons
• 1 bunch fresh asparagus
• 1 small onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 litre chicken stock- hot
• 100ml dry white wine
• 50g grated parmesan cheese
• 25g butter
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Lemon zest

Method:

1. Prepare asparagus by trimming the wooden ends, (there is a natural break in the stem) cut them into 3-4cm pieces. Blanch in boiling water for 3mins until just tender, drain and place cold tissue on top to cool it quickly
2. In a large pan fry the smoked bacon lardons over a medium heat until crispy and golden. Remove from the oil and set aside leaving the rendered fat in the pan. Add the diced onion with a splash of olive oil, until soft. The fat shouldn’t be too hot, so there is no colour on the onion, add garlic and cook out.
3. Add risotto rice, stirring until slightly translucent approx. 2 mins
4. Deglaze with white wine until absorbed
5. To cook the rice, add a ladle of the hot stock into the rice and stir, don’t add the next one until it has been fully absorbed into the rice. This should take a lot of stirring and about 20mins
6. When the rice is ready remove from the heat and add in butter and parmesan cheese stir heat the lardons and mix through the risotto and add asparagus tips at the end
7. Season and lastly add the zest of lemon

Enjoy!

Jenny Flynn