Asparagus and pea risotto

Here's the most luxurious, delicious early summer risotto you can imagine. I'm posting this now in the hope that you might still be able to find some British asparagus. If not, you could use imported, or save it till next year. Or it will still be delicious with peas and no asparagus, just not quite as luxurious.

Camembert is not a traditional cheese for risotto, but I love the way it melts and oozes, becoming almost a sauce for the asparagus.

Ingredients

Serves 2-3

1 onion
1 tsp vegetable oil
200g risotto rice
1 pint hot vegetable stock, ideally home made
1 bunch asparagus (about 200g), cut into short lengths
100g peas, fresh or frozen
1 small glass white wine
125g ripe Camembert (about half a Camembert - or you can use Brie if you prefer)

Method

Chop the onion. Heat the vegetable oil in a large pan. Add the onion and cook, stirring, over a medium heat for about five minutes. Add the rice and stir for one more minute, then add a ladleful of hot stock. Stir until the stock is absorbed. Repeat for about 15-20 minutes. If you run out of stock, add extra boiling water.

When the rice is still chalky to the bite but seems most of the way to being done, add the asparagus and the peas and the white wine. Stir for another five minutes or until the asparagus is cooked and the rice is creamy. Slice the cheese, stirring half of it in and arranging the rest on top. Serve at once.