Trim woody ends of asparagus with sharp knife. Set trimmings aside to add to vegetable broth later.
Thinly slice asparagus into disks, but keep the tips of the spears whole.
Sauté asparagus with olive oil, crushed garlic, salt, and pepper for 5 minutes. Should be tender but not fully cooked. Set aside.
PREP THE VEGETABLE BROTH
Add the vegetable stock and the woody ends of the asparagus to a pot. Bring to a simmer, and keep hot.
MAKE THE RISOTTO
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large skillet. Set the heat to medium. Add finely chopped shallot andfryfor 2 minutes.
Add risotto rice, and toast for 1 minute, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.Add the white wine and keep stirring until the wine is fully evaporated.
When the wine is completely gone, add 2 ladlefuls of hot vegetable broth. Keep stirring continuously. When the pan starts to dry up, add 2 more ladleful of vegetable broth, and keep stirring.Repeat this for 12 minutes, stirring almost continuously and adding 2 ladleful of hot vegetable broth as soon as the pan dries up.
ADD THE ASPARAGUS
After 12 minutes, add the asparagus to the rice. Keep stirring and adding hot vegetable stock until the rice is cooked al dente. It should take 5 more minutes.
Risotto should cook between 16 and 18 minutes, from when you add the first ladle of broth. Start tasting the rice often at around the 15-minute mark. When you taste it, you should clearly feel the "heart" of the rice grain between your teeth; it should be al dente.At this point, you should also adjust for salt, if necessary.
ADD BUTTER AND CHEESE
When the risotto is al-dente, and the last ladle of broth has been almost completely absorbed, turn the heat off. Add butter and grated parmesan cheese.Stir gently, off the heat, until butter and cheese are fully melted in the rice. Now let sit for 2 minutes, covered with a lid.
After 2 minutes, stir the risotto one more time, and if too dense, add a little more vegetable stock, keeping in mind that risotto should not be too runny nor too thick. It should have a perfectly creamy texture.
Serve on a plate with a sprinkle of parmesan on top.