Yes, I know the title doesn’t leave much to the imagination (mushroom rice without the mushrooms?????) but this was my first attempt to make Risotto. It all started at Uni when I was a language student and between one lecture and another I would experiment my cookery skills nearly every day. My flat mate Rita would make her famous VOV for dessert ( a creamy liquor made of eggs). Although it was actually a quite strong liquor, the fact that it was home made it made it completely legitimate!!!! I, on the other hand was responsible for the main. The intention was to make a earthy mushroom risotto, but I didn’t get to go out to buy the mushrooms and the only thing that tasted like a mushroom was some “knor” mushroom cubes!!!! Hence why the mushroom flavour without the mushrooms 🙂 After that episode I would carefully add “propel” mushrooms!
Serving 4 people
Ingredients
300g Arborio rice
500ml chicken stock or 500ml hot water (1 gelatine type chicken cube to mix in the water)
white onion, half, finely chopped
70g butter
saffron, 1 bag (optional)
150g mushrooms (any type, I would use chestnut mushrooms), sliced
fresh parmesan, as much as you like!!!!!
Preparation
Place the butter on a no-stick pan and melt in on a low heat, add the onion and simmer until golden. Add the rice and stir it. The rice will start roasting and it’s important that it doesn’t burn. Add the mushrooms and mix them with the rice. Have your stock ready and make sure it’s hot, alternatively melt the gelatine cube in the hot water and mix it thoroughly. Gradually add the stock in the pan and keep stirring the rice, repeat this until you have used all the stock. Sprinkle the saffron and mix it throughly. Cook for another 2 minutes. The rice will look creamy and will taste “al dente” . Serve it with some fresh parmesan, shavings or grated. Pronto!
P.S. Rice takes 14/15 minutes to cook, should you have used all of your stock and the rice feels still quite hard, I would recommend to add a little water but don’t over cook it! Never cook your rice for longer than 15 minutes !
P.S.2. I like to use the same basic recipe with other flavour combinations: Asparagus and Mushrooms, Broccoli and Sweet corn, Asparagus and Salmon, Prawns and Courgette……and so many more……..
BringNonnaBack 