Risotto with green asparagus and prawns

Brown the onion so it colours and flavours the broth, then put it in water with carrot and celery cut in big pieces.

Add a few prawns and boil for about an hour and a half, letting the broth cook and reduce; add a little salt, then strain it.

Trim the tough, stringy ends off the asparagus and cut the stems; keep the tips whole, since they cook much faster and go in at the end.

Make the soffritto: fry a little chopped onion in extra virgin olive oil until golden, then add the rice and fry it.

Add a good dry local white wine, tasted first, and let it evaporate; then begin adding the hot strained broth.

Simmer the rice about 16 minutes, adjusting the density with broth; add the prawns and other ingredients near the end so the prawns stay tender.

Keep the rice always wet with hot broth and boiling, never letting it dry out or drop in temperature, so it releases its starch.

Add a touch of garlic to accent the prawns; cut the prawns in big pieces, keeping three whole for decoration.

Add broth a little at a time whenever the rice starts to dry and tighten.

About 6 to 7 minutes from done, add the asparagus stems and cook 5 to 6 minutes so they soften and flavour the rice.

Taste for doneness and salt; the broth is already salted, so add no salt to the rice. Add some fresh pepper and some of the prawns.

Cook 7 to 8 more minutes, scraping the rice off the sides of the pan so it does not burn or cook unevenly.

Add the asparagus tips, the rest of the prawns and a little more broth; when the bubbles turn from large to fine the rice is almost ready. Turn off the heat.

Mantecatura: add plenty of extra virgin olive oil instead of butter (a fish risotto keeps no animal fat) and toss the rice energetically to the far side of the pan and back, the 'onda'; add parsley and pepper.

Briefly cook the reserved prawns in the broth for decoration.

Plate two spoonfuls in the centre and tap the plate so the risotto settles flat; garnish with a prawn tail and head.