A Guilty Pleasure That I Indulge in Far Too Often…RISOTTO!

Risotto is by far one of my favorite things to cook and eat, which is funny because about 2 years ago I could hardly stand the texture.  I’m always looking for new risotto recipes, but since I’m just starting off this blog I’ll give you my standard recipe that I make at least once a week, Mushroom Risotto.  Keep in mind that the secret to a great risotto is TLC.  The dish takes about 40 minutes to make and you’ll be spending most of that time constantly stirring, but the end result is totally worth it. 

Mushroom Risotto

Serves 4 Entrée dishes

Ingredients

1 can (49 ounces) low-sodium chicken broth

4 Tbs (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

6 ounces crimini mushrooms, stems removed and caps cut into narrow strips

1 yellow onion finely chopped

2 cups Arborio rice

½ cup dry white wine

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat.  Reduce the heat to low to keep the broth hot.

In a deep wide saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 Tbs of the butter.  Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.  Add the finely chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 more minutes.  Add the rice and stir until the kernels are covered with the butter and the rice feels heavy in the spoon, about 2 minutes. Make sure not to toast the rice.  Add the wine and cook, stirring constantly, until the wine has almost evaporated. 

Add ½ cup of the hot broth to the rice and cook, stirring frequently until the rice has almost completely absorbed the liquid.  Lower the heat to medium-low to keep the risotto at a steady simmer.  Continue adding the broth ½ cup at a time, stirring until the broth is almost completely absorbed before adding the next addition.  After about 16-18 minutes the rice grains will be creamy, plump, and cooked through, but still slightly chewy.  I usually start taste testing at about 14 minutes, because one ladleful too many can ruin the risotto and you want to make sure the rice is al dente.  When the rice is to your liking, fold in the last tablespoon of butter and Parmesan cheese.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve immediately.

Bon Appetit!