Mushroom Risotto

I thought I would kick of 2013 on the blog the right way.  This is an idea I got from watching the Cooking channel and learning how to cook risotto from Chuck Hughes.  Thankfully watching food TV is one of the things my wife and I have in common.  When I watch sports, she tunes out.  When she watches shows I don't like, I leave the room ... or the house!  But we both really like watching cooking shows.  There is probably no dish more notorious for getting people kicked off cooking competitions than risotto.  In fact, this week on Top Chef, a contestant was eliminated after his risotto found him on the bottom.

I think part of the controversy stems from a different expectation of what risotto should be. Wolfgang Puck and Anthony Bourdain are both very passionate that risotto should have a loose consistency and instantly spread out if you put it on a plate.  Many of the contestants have learned at their restaurants (highly acclaimed restaurants, I might add) to cook risotto with a tighter consistency.  The latter is what we prefer at our household.

I started by finely dicing some celery to saute with olive oil.  I tried to have them be the same size as the rice will eventually become.  This dish has been a bit rich in the past; so I was trying to add a little acidity.  Plus, celery will add some texture to the dish as well.

Next, heat up 2 cups of beef broth in the microwave for two minutes.  I have also used chicken stock in the past.  Add 1 cup of uncooked rice to your saute pan and toss it to ensure all the rice pieces are coated by the oil.  Toast the rice over medium to medium-high heat for a few minutes.  

Now you will start to add the broth, only about a 1/2 cup at a time. It will look like the picture above at first. And here is where your patience will be tested.  Risotto takes time.  You now need to stir constantly until all of the liquid is absorbed by the rice.  Only then will you add the next 1/2 cup of liquid.  The rice will start to look like this when it's ready:

Continue adding the broth in 1/2 cup increments until all has been absorbed.  The rice will be very plump because you have a 2:1 ratio of liquid to rice, and all of it has been absorbed.  Meanwhile, quarter some button mushrooms and saute them in butter.  

I like to let them get pretty broken down.  They will reduce in size, but increase in flavor by a ton.  These little morsels will add that "meaty" quality to the dish.

Finish the risotto by adding a little Parmesan or Swiss cheese and stir it until it melts through.  Use this sparingly because like I said, it can be pretty rich.  To add a little more acidity, I also added some lemon juice to round out the flavor profile.  Add your mushrooms to the rice, and top with sliced green onions.

This is a really decadent dish.  And I love it!  It's pretty simple ... it just requires patience.  But your efforts will be well rewarded.  Enjoy.  And Happy New Year!