Sept DOTM #2: Mushroom Risotto

The second DOTM is the ever-comforting mushroom risotto. With the constant ladling and stirring, some might find it tedious or laborious to make a risotto, but I love how therapeutic it can be. This is a lovely basic risotto recipe. If you don’t like mushrooms, I suspect you could even replace it with your protein or vegetable of your choice. I have plans to make a squid ink and saffron version hopefully sooner rather than later.

Enjoy!

Oh, we had wagyu steaks with our mushroom risotto. Not trying to steal any spotlight away from the risotto, but it was too good to not post. I married well.

Ingredients
Serves 6

• 2 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (optional)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• a pinch or two of salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup arborio rice (also called risotto rice)
• 2 cups chopped mushrooms of your choice
• 4 cups hot chicken or vegetable stock
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• fresh parsley or thyme for garnish

Instructions

1. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted, add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent.
3. Add the lemon juice, Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.
4. Add the wine and stir as the wine reduces (cook for about 5 minutes until the wine reduces).Turn the heat to medium-low and add the rice. Toss the rice in the onion mixture until it's coated and move it around the pan for about 1 minute.
5. Stir in the mushrooms.
6. Add the hot chicken stock (or vegetable stock) about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until the stock is absorbed by the rice until you add another 1/2 cup. Repeat the process above until all the stock has been added and absorbed by the rice and a creamy sauce has formed, stirring constantly throughout.
7. Serve immediately with shaved Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped thyme or parsley.