Mise en Place: Chop the asparagus into ½ inch pieces- the smaller pieces will cook up quickly and you’ll avoid stringy fibrous asparagus chunks. Grate the parmesan. Zest and juice the lemon. Measure your stock and wine. Place the stock in a small saucepan over medium heat. 

Sauté the aromatics and rice: Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When it’s hot add the shallot and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Add the arborio rice, tossing it so all of the rice grains get coated with a bit of fat. Toast for 60-90 seconds.

Cook the risotto: Once the rice is toasted, add the white wine to the pan and stir continuously until the liquid is absorbed.

Next, add 1 ladleful of the hot stock and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process, adding 1 cup of broth at a time and stirring until each cup is absorbed until the rice is cooked through and tender. The broth should be added at about 3-4 minute intervals and the total cooking time will be 25-30 minutes. The rice should be al dente, meaning tender but still with a slight chew. The total cooking time for me was 27 minutes.

Add the rest: Once the rice is fully cooked through, fold in the veggies and lemon juice and zest. Let the peas and asparagus soak up the residual moisture and heat and cook through. Gently crumble in the smoked salmon, goat cheese, grated cheese and all of the fresh herbs. Stir.

Finishing Touches: Serve hot with extra parmesan, herbs and a big squeeze of lemon.