The rich, earthy flavours of mushroom in a bowl of comfort food.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time40 minutesmins
Total Time55 minutesmins
Course: dinner, entreé, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: autumn, comfort food, dinner party, egg-free, eggless, family favourite, family friendly, flexible, meat free Mondays
Servings: 4people
Ingredients
1litrestockmushroom, vegetable or chicken
3Tbsextra virgin olive oilplus extra
3cupssliced mushroomsmixture of exotic and button
1Tbsbutter
1brown onionfinely chopped
3 clovesgarlicminced
1½cupsarborio rice
½cupfresh or frozen peasoptional
2 cupsbaby spinach or chopped spinach
1lemonzest and juice
¾cupparmesanfinely grated
Instructions
Place stock in a saucepan and bring it to a low simmer. Keep the lid on to avoid losing too much in evaporation.
Heat olive oil in a heavy-based frying pan and sauté mushrooms until golden. Remove and set aside on paper towel.
Add butter to pan and more olive oil if needed. When butter has stopped frothing add onion to pan and cook over a medium heat for three of four minutes. Add garlic and cook until onion is soft and clear.
Add rice and stir until rice is well coated in the garlicky oil.
Add three or four ladles of stock and stir briskly. Cover the pan and let the rice cook until all the stock is absorbed before adding another three or four ladles. Continue to do this, testing the rice for 'doneness' until most of the stock is finished and the rice is al denté. It should be soft with just a hint of resistance when you bite it. The mixture should be thick without being dry.
When rice is almost cooked add the peas (if using) and the spinach. The spinach will only take a minute to wilt. Stir in the cooked mushrooms, reserving a few to scatter on top.
Stir in the parmesan and remove from heat. Finally, add the finely grated lemon zest and stir in the juice gradually, tasting as you go until it is the right balance of richness and acidity for your taste.
Top with reserved mushrooms and sprinkle a little extra parmesan on top.