Recipe: Il Bacaro’s Asparagus, Pea and Broad Bean Risotto

Melbourne restaurant Il Bacaro, a perennial business-lunch spot, has had a few owners, but Joe Mammone and Graeme Ballentine are the guys responsible for the long, consistent run it’s enjoyed this millennium.

“We try and sit down every month and go over menu ideas, discuss what’s in season and what worked well last year versus this year,” Mammone says. “The asparagus risotto is one that always seems to come back. It’s a bit different – it’s not your standard porcini mushroom risotto.”

The key to a good risotto is letting the rice fully absorb all the cooking liquid, and not over-cooking the rice. Like pasta, it should retain some bite (al dente). The ideal consistency is all'onda (“wavy”), with a creamy texture from the starches in the rice.

Asparagus, Pea and Broad Bean Risotto, by Il Bacaro

Serves 4–6
Preparation time time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 60 minutes

Ingredients

4 b