Charlottenburg Cuisine Ep.4: orange-asparagus salad, champagne-asparagus risotto, choco-strawberries

APPETIZER: ORANGE-ASPARAGUS-SALAD WITH ROASTED WALNUTS

Ingredients for 4 servings:
500 g fields lettuce
250 g asparagus
2 oranges
1 lemon (juiced)
1 cup walnuts
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Maple sirup
Sugar pepper and salt
 
Peel the asparagus. Fill a large pot with water, then add a pinch of salt, lemon juice and dash of sugar. When the water boils add the asparagus and let it cook fr 15 to 18 minutes (depending on the thickness of the asparagus).
 
Cut the asparagus in inch-thick pieces. Filet the oranfges and roast the walnuts in a pan (no oil is necessary)  with a pinch of salt. Wash the lettuce.
 
For the dressing stir together balsamic vinegar, olive oil and maple sirup in equal parts and season with salt and pepper.
Put all ingredients together in a salad bowl with the asparagus on top.
 
TIP: If you find the walnuts to big and mighty you can chop them before adding them to the salad.

MAIN COURSE: CHAMPAGNE-ASPARAGUS-RISOTTO

Ingredients for 4 servings:
2 shallots
3 garlic cloves
2 oz butter
600 g asparagus (1.3 pounds)
400 g risottorice (14 oz)
14 fl oz champagne (200 ml)
1 qt vegetable broth
2 tbs chervil
salt and pepper
 
Melt the butter in a pot. Chop the shallots and the garlic and fry them in the butter.
 
Peel the asparagus and cut it in one and a half inch-thick pieces. Put the asparagus-heads aside and the other asparagus pieces in. the add the rice. Cook it for about 10 minutes. Add the champagne and let it cook but don´t stop stirring.
 
Pour in some of the broth till the rice is just covered with it. KEEP ON STIRRING. 
Continue to add more and more broth and stir it till the rice is soft (abot 20 minutes).
 
Then add the asparagus heads, cook and stir for another 15 minutes, stir in a piece of butter and
Season it with salt and pepper and serve it with some chervil sprinkled on top.
 
 
DESSERT: STRAWBERRIES IN DARK CHOCOLATE

Ingredients for 4 servings:
500 g Strawberries (1.1  pounds)
120 g dark chocolate  4 oz (70% Kakao)
25g butter (1 oz)

Melt butter and chocolate in a pot while stirring. 
Dip the washed and dried strawberries in the chocolate dip and place it on a platter.
Chill before serving.