This is an elegantly simple dish to make, but I don’t do it very often because it is by no means good for you. I know there are ways to make it more health-conscious (less butter and cheese, no cream, etc.), but I just can’t bring myself to adulterate it like that. So, I only make it a couple of times a year and I enjoy it all the more because of the infrequency of the indulgence.
We enjoyed this with a lovely bit of beef tenderloin and some steamed haricot vert, but it could just as easily serve as a main dish with a salad on the side. As a side, this recipe makes 4 servings, as a main it would probably serve 2.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 small shallot, diced
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 cup arborio rice
5 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt to taste
fresh thyme or parsley for garnish
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- Melt 1 T butter in a chef’s pan or saute pan and saute 1 small diced shallot until translucent.
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- Quarter 8 oz. cremini mushrooms.
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- Add mushrooms to shallot and butter mixture.
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- Cook over medium heat until mushrooms are browned and most of the moisture has cooked out. Remove from pan and set aside.
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- Take 1 cup arborio rice.
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- Melt another tablespoon of butter in the same pan and add rice. Stir to coat with butter and cook until most of the rice grains are opaque.
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- Have 5 cups chicken broth in a saucepan on a separate burner over low heat. Add two cups broth to the dry rice and stir periodically to make sure it doesn’t stick.
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- Cook until most of the broth has been absorbed. When it looks like this, add another cup of broth and stir through. Continue this process until the individual rice grains are al dente (toothy in the center, but soft and creamy on the outside).
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- Add 2 tablespoons cream and stir to incorporate. Turn off heat, return mushroom/shallot mixture to the pan along with 1/2 cup of grated parmesan cheese and a pat of butter and stir to mix through. Taste for seasoning – add salt if necessary.
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- Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley. This recipe makes four servings if used as a side-dish, or two if used as a main.
(republished from February)