Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto Recipe

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto Recipe

(Photo courtesy of The Food Lab, Serious Eats)

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 quart vegetable stock
  • 1 1/2 cups (about 300g) arborio
  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms, such as shiitake, cremini, oyster, and chanterelle, trimmed and thinly sliced (we used button and hen of the woods mushroom)
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 3/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1 pound trimmed asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream (optional; see note)
  • 1 ounce finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon leaves (unfortunately, we did not have this handy!)

DIRECTIONS

    1. Heat vegetable stock and pour over the one and a half cups of arborio rice in a fine-mesh strainer. Drain well.
    2. Combine butter and olive oil in a sauce pan and heat to medium-high. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Stir occasionally and cook until excess moisture has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Mushrooms should be browned.
    3. Next add onion and garlic. Stir frequently for four minutes. Add rice and stir until evenly coated with oil for about 3 minutes. Add and stir soy sauce in.
    4. Add white wine. Cook for about 2 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated.
    5. Add three of the four cups to the rice. Add a generous pinch of salt. Increase to high heat and bring to a simmer. Stir ONCE (this is hard for me!). Cover pan and reduce to low.
    6. Leave undisturbed for 10 minutes. Stir once (only once, for all you meddlers!), and cook for about five more minutes
    7. Remove lid and stir the one remaining cup of vegetable stock. Increase to high heat. Add in asparagus until the stalks are tender but firm, about 3 minutes. Add more water or stock if necessary to keep risotto from drying out. Turn off heat. Add parmesan and stir throughout. Add heavy cream. Season with salt and garnish with parsley and tarragon.
    8. Serve and devour!
Leah Beckett