Mushroom Risotto with Peas

Although it's certainly not the kind of food I grew up with, risotto is definitely comfort food. Warm, creamy, cheesy and filling. Pretty irresistible.

This recipe comes from Giada de Laurentiis, who is my go-to person for Italian food these days. I've made and eaten so many of her recipes, which are always fairly easy but leave you with a wonderful meal. This risotto was no exception. It smelled delicious, was full of mushroomy goodness and the texture of the rice was perfect - tender with a bit of a bite. This dish requires a bit of patience since you have to add the broth and allow the rice to cook in stages, but it's well worth the time. All in all a successful recipe that I'd like to try again.

I used the caps of 16oz of button mushrooms and 8oz of creminis instead of what's listed in the ingredients. I'd like to try this with other varieties of mushrooms too. The peas added brightness but it might be nice to use a vegetable with a little more heft. If you want to add some protein, I'd say try some chicken - cook it separately, then stir it in towards the end.


Mushroom Risotto with Peas (from Everyday Italian by Giada de Laurentiis)

Ingredients
6 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 stick unsalted butter
2 cups finely chopped onion
10oz white mushrooms, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
2/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Bring the broth to a simmer in a heavy, medium-size saucepan. Add the porcini mushrooms. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and chop finely. Keep the broth warm over low heat.

Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes.

Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the rice, add the wine and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Add 1 cup of hot broth and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Repeat this step until the rice is tender and the mixture is creamy (taste it before adding each cup of broth!)

Stir in the peas and the Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.