Mangia!

by Two Chums on September 6, 2023

When you think Italian food, mot people immediately think spaghetti or some other from of pasta. But another equally delicious and classic Italian dish is Risotto!

There are many kinds of risotto…but a typical and delicious one is mushroom risotto. That just happens to be a favorite of you Two Chums so it seemed fitting to share the recipe for one of our favorite Italian dishes.

Mushroom Risotto

1/2 -3/4 lbs. sliced mushrooms
3-4 shallots, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped finely (optional but a delicious addition if you like garlic)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons butter (substitute more olive oil if you prefer to make it dairy free)
1 cup Arborio rice
fresh thyme
3/4 cup Sherry
3 cups Chicken stock or bouillon
1/4 cup cream (optional if you prefer to make it dairy free)
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Risotto is simple to make but does require your attention. Start by sautéing the mushrooms in a deep pot in 1/2 of the olive oil just until the mushrooms are wilted a bit. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside in a bowl. Add the rest of the olive oil to the pan along with the butter if using and stir until butter is melted. Stir in the chopped shallots and garlic and cook just until soft. Mix the mushrooms back into the pan along with any juice or liquid from the mushrooms that has collected in the bowl. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice in the butter and olive oil. Add in 1/2 cup of sherry and stir until all the liquid has been absorbed and all the browned bits on the bottom of the pan are loosened. Begin adding the chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time and stir regularly until the liquid is absorbed each time the stock is added. Each addition of chicken stock should take about 4-5 minutes to be absorbed into the rice. Before the last 1/2 cup of stock is added, stir in some fresh thyme leaves, from approximately 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme.

When all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is cooked and creamy, add the remaining 1/4 cup of sherry and stir cooking for about 2-4 minutes more. Now add the heavy cream and about 1/3 -1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Serve with more freshly grated parmesan cheese and add some chopped steamed crab meat or sauted chicken if you want to “gild the lilly”.