Risotto is a warm, comforting dish to serve at any occasion and a vegetable risotto can do double duty as a side for meat lovers or a main for the vegetarian crowd. Risotto takes a bit of time to cook but it is not complicated at all.
Ingredients
5 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups hot water (for soaking mushrooms)
1 oz dried mushroom
4 tablespoons butter
1 med onion, diced
1 1/2 cups rice arborio/ or short grain rice
1/2 cup white wine
¼ teaspoon salt
fresh pepper
1 cup fresh peas
freshly grated Parmesan 1/2-3/4 cup
Method
In a small pot warm 5 cups of vegetable stock over med-low heat.
Soak 1 oz dried mushrooms in hot water.
Place 2 tbsp butter in large skillet. Add to it 1 diced, medium onion and cook to soften over medium high heat, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile drain the mushrooms and chop smaller if desired. Reserve the liquid.
Add the mushrooms to the onions, plus one more tablespoon of butter. You just want them to soften a bit more, give them a couple minutes, stirring occasionally.
Now add 1 ½ cup Arborio rice and stir to coat with the butter/mushroom mixture in the skillet.
Add a ½ cup white wine and ¼ teaspoon salt plus fresh pepper.
Start adding the stock about 1/2 cup at a time using a ladle. You don’t have to stir constantly, just enough so the rice doesn’t burn. (You can use the reserved mushroom liquid as well for a earthier taste)
Once the stock is absorbed and the risotto is thickening, add more stock. Each time the liquid is absorbed, add more over medium to medium/high heat. Don’t let it get too thick but also not soup-like.
After about 20 minutes stir in 1 cup fresh peas.
You’ll have used about 1 L of stock. Now taste the risotto, the rice should be getting tender but may need another 10 minutes cooking time and more liquid.
You want the dish creamy and the rice soft with a little bit of bite in the center.
When the rice is perfect, stir in 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and the last tablespoon of butter and serve.
Sue Riedl