It seems, at least outwardly, that I have abandoned this blog. I guess I have, in a way. The truth is though that I just haven’t been doing very much cooking since that first entry in October. Shortly after publishing it I started to have some problems with my landlord, whom I live with (in the same house). I won’t go into the bitter details, but suffice to say that a great deal of restrictions have been placed on my “privileges,” namely my use of the kitchen. As a result, I’ve been living mostly off of frozen and canned foods, supplemented by steamed and raw vegetables. This hasn’t exactly been great material for a food blog, so even though I wanted to keep going, I stopped short and decided to wait for the situation to change.
I did, however, manage to make one last “real” meal before the sanctions were imposed – a richly flavoured mushroom risotto. I think a lot of people are intimidated by risotto, especially new cooks. Until about a year ago, I was one of those people – I viewed risotto as a strictly “restaurant dish” that was much too finicky and complicated to try at home. Then I actually tried it. I soon realized how easy risotto can be to make and it’s been one of my favourite dinners ever since. Isn’t it funny how so many of the things that we build up in our heads as being too difficult are actually just things that we’re too scared to try?
Risotto is a great dish to learn to make, because not only is it delicious, but it’s also incredibly adaptable. Once you have the technique down, you’ll be able to whip a risotto in no time and with almost any ingredients that you happen to have lying around! This makes it a great alternative for using up leftovers, which is useful for those days when you can’t bear to eat another bowl of [insert leftovers here] soup. The only thing to be careful of are the basic proportions – it’s important to keep the ratio of rice to stock to “add-ins” roughly the same.
Anyway, back to the recipe. I adapted this from several Jamie Oliver recipes, one from his book “Jamie at Home” and the other from “Jamie in Italy.” I was looking for a risotto with a strong mushroom flavour, since I find that many recipes don’t deliver that and you end up eating pallid, tasteless risotto with a sprinkling of mushrooms on top. Roasting the mushrooms deepens their flavour, and when combined with a mushroom-infused broth, the result is a dish that actually tastes of mushrooms. Which, if you like mushrooms as much as I do, is a very good thing.
Roasted Mushroom Risotto
Adapted from Jamie Oliver, “Jamie at Home”
Serves 4
I knew that I would be keeping this to reheat during the week, so I made it a bit looser by adding a little extra stock at the end. I’ve found that this makes it easier to reheat, because risotto can tend to get dry and thick once it’s been stored. I also usually add a bit of butter (or even water) to the leftovers before reheating.
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp butter
- 3 large handfuls mushrooms (mixed – I used cremini, Portobello, oyster, and shiitake), chopped into 1″ long pieces.
- 1 sprig rosemary (or thyme), leaves picked and finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1½ cups Arborio rice
- ¼ cup white wine or vermouth
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- ¼ cup dried mushrooms (optional), rehydrated
- Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1 lemon
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper
Heat oven to 400ºF.
In a saucepan, add the stock, rehydrated mushrooms, and any mushroom trimmings (stems, etc.).
Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce heat to medium – keep the stock simmering.
Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a skillet (use one with high sides and a lid) over medium-high heat.
Add mushrooms and cook 1-2 minutes until starting to brown.
Add sliced garlic and rosemary, and cook for 2 minutes more.
Spread mushroom mixture on a baking sheet, and bake for 6-10 minutes.
Lower heat on the skillet to medium, and heat remaining oil and 1 Tbsp butter.
Add onion, celery, and chopped garlic, and cook for 15 minutes without colouring.
Add the rice, and stir to coat with oil.
After about 1 minute, the rice will start to get slightly translucent.
Add the wine, and cook until evaporated (about 1-2 minutes).
Add your first ladleful of hot stock and a good pinch of salt to the rice, stirring to incorporate.
Wait until the stock has been absorbed before adding more stock.
Keep adding stock and stirring (not constantly stirring) until most of the stock has been added and the rice is almost al dente. This should take about 15 minutes.
Add the mushrooms and any accumulated juices.
Go back to adding stock and stirring until the rice is al dente. This should take 5-10 minutes. You may not need all of the stock.
When the rice is done, the mixture should be creamy but the rice should still have distinct shape. It should also look a bit looser than you think you want it.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Add the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter, Parmesan, and parsley.
Cover and let sit for 2 minutes.
Add a good squeeze of lemon (to taste), and salt and pepper to taste.
