Mushroom Risotto

One of my all-time favorite meals to make and eat is risotto. I've made this frequently over the years, and the ingredients are always in my pantry. I remember my first time ever trying a risotto dish was at Le Cellier Steakhouse at Walt Disney World. It was all I could think about for weeks! Creamy and rich, it was a dish that made me happy.

Today, I'll guide you through the process of making mushroom risotto. I've been preparing this dish for years. When I initially discovered the recipe on Pinterest, I used a basic version and then experimented by adding various cheeses or vegetables. Let's gather our ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of arborio rice

• 4 cups beef broth

• 1/2 cup white wine (I have made it without wine before)

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 shallot

• 3 cloves minced garlic

• 2 cups mushrooms

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

• salt

• pepper

Personally, I always include mascarpone cheese in my risotto recipes. I'm not a culinary expert, and some might disagree with my choice, but I believe it enhances the dish's creaminess. Typically, I substitute butter with mascarpone. However, on this occasion, my grocery store was out of stock, so I had to adjust. Both ingredients work well and result in a delicious risotto. *Disclaimer - I'm not a professional chef, not even close, so will this be restaurant quality? I don't know, but is it good? YES!

Let's prep the mushrooms and shallots! I pull the stems from the mushrooms and slice them. The shallots should be diced. If you don't have shallots, you can also use onion; I have used white in the past.

To a small pot, you want to add your chicken broth on medium-low heat. You just want it to get warm; you will be slowly adding this into your rice mixture. In another saucepan, add olive oil, shallots, and garlic. Cook for about 2 minutes or until fragrant.

Next, toss in the mushrooms and cook them down for a few minutes.

After those cook down for a few minutes, add your rice and toast it for 2 minutes. Then add your wine and let it absorb into the rice. Once absorbed, slowly start adding in the warmed chicken broth, one ladle at a time, making sure it is absorbed before adding another ladle in.

Once the chicken broth is added and incorporated, now is the time to add the butter and cheeses of your choosing. As previously stated, I have tried lots of combinations before, so you can find what works for you. For this one, we used 2 tbsp of butter and sprinkled in some parmesan cheese. I added the cheese until I got the creaminess I wanted and, of course, the taste; this is also when you are going to want to add salt and pepper.

Then, the best part, dig in! We have had this as a side dish and as a main dish. It never disappoints, and the combinations are endless. Hope you enjoy! See you next time!

___________________________________________________________________

Recipe Card

• 1 1/2 cups of arborio rice

• 4 cups beef broth

• 1/2 cup white wine (I have made it without wine before)

• 2 tbsp butter

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 shallot

• 3 cloves minced garlic

• 2 cups mushrooms

• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

• salt

• pepper

1. Add beef broth to a pot to heat up.

2. Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium-low heat and add diced shallots and minced garlic until fragrant.

3. Add mushrooms in and cook down for a few minutes.

4. Add rice, toast for about 2 minutes.

5. Add wine, allow to absorb into the rice.

6. Once absorbed, start to ladle in beef broth. One ladle at a time. Make sure not to add more broth until the last one has absorbed.

7. When all beef broth is in, add in cheese and butter.

8. Plate and serve.