My uncle came back from Hokkaido, Japan, and a gift he brought back was a bunch of asparagus. Hokkaido is known for its asparagus, and I wanted to make something that complemented the premium product. One of my biggest pet peeves in cooking is when someone takes an ingredient and tries to do too much to it, taking away from the ingredient's natural flavors. One of my favorite quotes is from Marco Pierre White, saying that “Mother nature is the true artist and our job as cooks is to allow her to shine.”

For this dish, I made a creamy risotto with tarragon to complement the asparagus’s delicate sweetness. This was the appetizer for a course meal that I made for my family over the break.