Risotto seems to get a bad rap – I’ve heard it’s hard to make, easy to mess up, and potentially not worth the trouble. This is all wrong. Risotto is actually really simple, it just takes time. Granted, time is sometimes hard to come by, but spending time making creamy, flavorful risotto is so worth it. Risotto travels well, reheats in a snap and makes fabulous left overs (Arancini anyone?) I make this easy mushroom parmesan risotto on lazy Sunday afternoons, then spend the week, ok, Sunday night, eating it.
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil, divided
1/2 of a yellow onion, diced
1 Pound white mushrooms, cut into quarters
4 Cups vegetable broth
1/1/2 Cups Arborio rice (yes, the type of rice does matter)
1/2 Cup dry vermouth (a dry, white wine works just fine as well)
2 Tablespoons butter
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 Cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Prepare yourself to be actively cooking this dish for 30-45 minutes.
Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat in a large, sturdy skillet. You guessed it, I pull out the old cast iron standby for this recipe.
Cook onions and mushrooms until fragrant and soft, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the broth over a low heat. The broth should be heated before we add it to the rice, because the rice can be shocked with cold liquid (or foul language, HA! get it?)
Remove onions and mushrooms and set aside.
Heat remaining olive oil in same skillet.
Add rice to skillet, stir, and cook until rice turns a light, golden-brown color. Remember to keep stirring so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Slowly stir in the vermouth and keep stirring until the rice fully absorbs it.
After the vermouth is absorbed, add the heated vegetable broth about 1/2 Cup at a time. Stir the broth into the rice until it is completely absorbed each time. I am not exact about how much broth I put in at a time, I kind of eyeball a 1/2 Cup. That’s ok, because the point is that you stand and stir, and give lots of love to your risotto.
Continue adding broth, stirring and loving your risotto. You will be temped to walk away and leave your risotto on the stove. “Just for a second,” you’ll say. Don’t do it. Stay with your risotto. This is the hard part.
When your risotto has absorbed all your liquids, it’s ready to be flavored. Sometimes, mine is pretty perfect before it has a chance to use all the broth. This is fine. Taste testing is the way to go.
Add in your cooked mushrooms and onions.
Add your butter! Stir it in, gently.
Stir in salt and pepper, remember to keep taste testing.
Finally, add your parmesan. Keep stirring.
Remove from heat. Now, it’s time to eat! Enjoy.
What do you like to put in your Risotto? Let us know in the comments below!
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