It’s Yummy!

Risotto is without question one of the most satisfying dishes to come out of Italy. Rich and creamy, full of flavor, this Mushroom Risotto is so good it isn’t just a side dish, its hearty and flavorful enough to be the main course star of the show. It’s yummy!

You may have heard risotto is difficult to make and very labor intensive. Not so, or at least, not in our opinion. In about 20 minutes you can have something positively addicting. You’ll finish it and start dreaming about the next time you’re going to make it. So give this recipe a try soon. Great on it’s own or with some roasted chicken or beef or with some lovely broiled salmon. No matter how you eat it or what you serve with it, It’s Yummy!

Easy Mushroom Risotto

1 cup of arborio rice*
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 shallot finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (optional)
1-2 cups chopped mushrooms, (you can use more than one type for variety)
1/4 cup white wine or sherry
4 cups chicken stock
1/4 – 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
fresh thyme

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter, stirring until butter is melted and slightly browning. Browning the butter adds a nice toasty flavor.

Stir in the minced shallot and garlic (the garlic is optional so simply omit it if you aren’t partial to garlic). Cook shallot and garlic until they are soft and translucent about 3 minutes. Stir in the Arborio rice and keep stirring to coat the rice with the butter and olive oil. Add in the mushrooms and keep stirring until they are coated with the olive oil/ butter mixture as well. Add in the wine and cook on medium high heat until the mushrooms and rice have absorbed the wine.

Stir in 2 cups of the chicken stock to start, if you warm the stock first before adding it to the rice, it will make the whole process go a little faster. Continue stirring regularly until the rice seems to have absorbed the liquid. As the rice absorbs the stock, keep adding more stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously. You may need a little more than 4 cups of stock, just keep adding it until the texture of the rice is firm but creamy. It will take 15-20 minutes for all the stock to be absorbed and the risotto to be creamy and al dente in texture.

When it is thoroughly cooked through, lower the heat and stir in the butter, parmesan cheese (the amount will depend on how cheesy you prefer your rice) and the leaves from several sprigs of fresh thyme. Pour into a bowl and garnish with a couple sprigs of fresh thyme or a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a bit more grated parmesan cheese. Serve as a side dish or a main course with a green salad and some crusty bread…YUMMY!

*If you can’t find arborio rice at your local store you can order it here on Amazon.