Arborio rice. A stout little Italian grain named after a town west of the Sesia river, at the top of the boot that shapes Italy.
Everyone wants to eat it! But no one really wants to cook it. Why? It takes PATIENCE! You simply cannot rush Risotto! I don’t care what anyone tells you!
This versatile risotto dish is actually really simple and can be tweaked in so many ways. You can even go pure Vegan with just a few swaps. What can’t be changed is how utterly delicious it is as long as you have the patience to stir, stir, stir!
Another key is making sure your stock, broth, water or whatever liquid you use, is HOT! If you don’t add hot liquid as you go, you are cooling off your rice and making it take much longer to get the proper consistency you want. Adding a bit at a time so the rice absorbs the liquid is also super important. A cup or so at a time, stirring evenly, this causes the starch to release from the rice and create that creamy dreamy texture.
Give it a try with different types of mushrooms or various types of cheese and see how delicious and hearty this dish can be. Let me know how yours turned out!
Roasted Mushroom & Zucchini Risotto
4
servings15
minutes40
minutes55
minutesIngredients
16 ounces Button mushrooms
2 Zucchini
4 Garlic cloves
8 Scallions
1/4 cup Italian Parsley
5 cups Vegetable stock
5 teaspoons White Wine Vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/2 teaspoon Dried Basil
1/2 teaspoon Dried Rosemary
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 cup Cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Directions
- Preheat oven to 450° while you bring your vegetable stock to a simmer while you wash and dry all of your produce.
- On a baking sheet, toss your sliced mushrooms and zucchini with a good drizzle of olive oil. Sprinkle with Oregano, Basil, Rosemary, Cayenne and Kosher salt evenly to coat. Roast in the oven for 15 minutes or so.
- While your veggies roast, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add your scallion whites and your garlic, stirring until they release their yummy aromas, about a minute or so.
- Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat. Keep stirring until the rice looks translucent. Once the rice looks ready, carefully stir in the vinegar and one cup of hot stock, stirring constantly. Slowly add more stock, a little at a time, as the rice absorbs the liquid. Keep stirring as this is what releases the starches from the rice and gives you that creamy texture. You may need more or less liquid, depending on the rice. IF you need more, HOT water will work fine. Your rice should be creamy and al dente in about 25 to 30 minutes but be patient!
- When your veggies are done roasting, remove from oven and set aside while you continue with your rice. Once the risotto reaches the desired consistency, lower your heat then add your roasted vegetables, half your scallion greens and half your parsley to the rice. Once combined, gently add your cream cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Ladle risotto into warmed bowls and garnish with a dollop of Crème fraîche, remaining scallion greens and some more freshly grated Parmeggiano-Reggiano.
Notes
- To make this dish completely Vegan, just substitute the cream cheese, butter and Creme Fraiche out for plant based alternatives.
- If you don’t have any homemade Vegetable Stock on hand, Better Than Bouillon Organic Vegetable Base is really handy. I like to keep a variety of Better Than Bouillon on hand for quick fixes and last minute dishes.
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