Tonight Dan made his famous mushroom risotto which never fails to amaze me with its tastiness! He is a pro!
He bases it on a Mark Bittman recipe (because we are obsessed with the man, obviously) but definitely tweaks it a fair amount. I’ll post the recipe anyway because it’s awesome. I recommend lots of butter and lots of Parmesan – you’re eating risotto after all!
Ingredients
4 to 6 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil, to taste
1 medium chopped onion
1 1/2 cups Arborio or other short- or medium-grain rice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 to 5 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup sliced shiitake or portobello mushroom caps
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Put 2 tablespoons of the butter or the olive oil in a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes.
2. Add the rice and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is glossy and coated with butter or oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Add a little salt and pepper, then the white wine. Stir and let the liquid boil away.
3. Use a ladle to begin adding the stock, 1/2 cup or so at a time, stirring after each addition. When the stock is just about evaporated, add more. The mixture should be neither soupy nor dry. Stir frequently, keeping the heat to a medium to medium-high. Meanwhile, put the remaining butter or oil (more will make a creamier risotto :D ) in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted or the oil is hot, add the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and almost crisp, about 10 minutes, then remove from the heat.
4. Begin tasting the rice 20 minutes after you add it; you want it to be tender but still with a tiny bit of crunch; it could take as long as 30 minutes to reach this stage. When it does, stir in the cooked mushrooms, with their butter, and at least 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve immediately, passing additional Parmesan at the table.
You can see from the cheeky carrot and parsley in there that we didn’t follow the recipe exactly but we have done before and I can promise you, it is amazing! We ate outside since it is a gorgeous warm and balmy night.
