There is one week in the year, one solitary week, when I buy asparagus. Usually. And it is this week my friends, when the glut arrives and the supermarkets (yes yes , I know, organic box blah blah) start a price war. They also start discounting ridiculously which left me with a nice bundle last night for twenty pee. On the turn possibly so it was straight to the stove. After considering a gratin and then discounting in because I still cannot get with the idea that cheese on toast is a proper dinner no matter how posh, I went for the old tried and tested risotto. This was almost scuppered when after frying the onion and bit o’bacon I realised I had no risotto rice. But that’s what flatmates cupboards are for. In the meantime the ‘grass was slowly going all dente, and I reserved the wood for a soup and started spooning in the stock.
I have made the error before of making a risotto with pretty much ONLY wine, and that was not very nice. However a risotto without any wine seems flat. But our flat had no wine. Not even in flatmates cupboard. Which is when I got creative. And got out the gin.
A shot seemed about right, burn off the alcohol but leave an interestingly juniper tang. And it worked a treat. Once the tips were dumped in and a generous slaver of butter added, the gin really added an aromatic tang to the risotto. What’s more it seemed to compliment the wee-altering taste of the asparagus. So much so that I also dumped a shot in the soup. On first tasting, the soup seems very nice, though tonight I need to add some cream and essential spices (SALT). But cooking with gin is here to stay round my house.