I think I’ve been making a different risotto once a week now for quite a while. I just can’t get enough.
I have loads of time on my hands and there’s a certain type of comfort I feel in standing and stirring the pot, only taking a break in order to sip my wine. I feel special – not, ‘don’t eat the paste’ special but happy and in love with the knowledge that making risotto is not a scary or indeed a fussy thing at all – I love making it and certainly love eating it.
I had brunched with the girls earlier in the day – I know right! – brunched! – Pft – so wanky but there you have it – we brunched! On my way home I found myself wandering through an amazing international grocers and found a wondrous collection of mushrooms and bags of carnaroli rice – dinner for the evening was set.
My parents have this thing for dropping by with huge amounts of things they find on special – so, another 5 kilo bag of red onions were begging to be used. Last time they did this I made French Onion Soup but as it’s just me here on my little lonesome now, that wasn’t an option.
I spent half the afternoon slicing onions and the other half caramelizing them. I now have a jar of sweet caramalised onions just waiting to be added to whatever they go with.
Mushroom and Caramalised Onion Risotto it was…and it was all mine! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Ingredients:
- 2 red onions, chopped
- butter and olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- whatever mushrooms you like just use lots of them
- 1 – 2 teaspoons dried herbs – I used an Italian mix
- 1 cup carnaroli or aborio rice – I used carnaroli
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 litre (approx) vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon good flaky salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to garnish
- some more butter and parmesan
- caramalised onions
Place oil and half the butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Cook onions stirring, for 6-8 minutes until soft. Add garlic and rice, stirring to coat grains, then add wine and simmer for 1-2 minutes or until almost evaporated. Stir in stock, a ladleful at a time, allowing each to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 20 minutes or until al dente (you may not need all the stock – I didn’t).
Drink wine while you do this otherwise go away and don’t make it!
Melt remaining 30g butter in a pan over high heat. Add the caramelized onions and chopped mushrooms and fry for 4 -5 minutes or until mushrooms are golden. Season.
Add the onions and mushrooms to the risotto and stir through. Add more butter and parmesan – love this risotto really creamy but not soupy so make sure you don’t over do the stock.
Serve risotto immediately and make lots of ‘mmmmm and aaahhhhh’ noises – drink wine with it… 🙂 🙂 🙂