The "pasta mafia", my adopted Italian mammas would roll their eyes and cover their heads with their aprons if they ever read this recipe! They would scold and tut, and cry"mamma mia" until they tried it and then, even though it breaks with all tradition I think they would love it. It is simple and delicious and I have never met an Italian yet that wasted anything, so I think they would appreciate the economy of time and effort. Whip up a batch of this risotto and while it is in the oven finishing you can enjoy a glass of wine with your loved ones--now that's Italian!
Baked Mushroom Risotto
2 Tbs EVOO
1 sm. Onion, finely diced
1 c. Arborio rice
½ c. dry white wine
2 ½ c. chicken stock, warmed to the boiling point
½ c. cream
2 Tbs butter
2 Tbs EVOO
8 oz. assorted mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
Pinch of thyme
1 bay leaf
¼ - ½ c. dry white wine
1 Tbs truffle oil (truffle oil is totally optional)
½ c. Parmesan, freshly grated
2-3 Tbs Italian parsley, freshly minced
Preheat oven 425.
Film the bottom of a large stock pot with a tight fitting lid with EVOO. Sauté the onion until it is soft and translucent, taking care not to let it brown. Add the rice and stir to coat all the grains with oil, keep cooking and stirring until the grains become translucent. Add the wine and stir, cook until the wine is almost completely absorbed. Add 2 c. of the stock and stir, heat to the boiling point. At this point cover the pot and slip it into the oven. Bake for 12-15 min.
While the rice is cooking film the bottom of a large sauté pan with 2 Tbs EVOO and 1 Tbs of the butter. Add the mushrooms and a bit of salt and sauté over med. high heat. When the mushrooms have softened and browned a bit add the thyme and bay leaf, cook a bit more and deglaze the pan with ¼ c. wine. Continue cooking until the wine is nearly absorbed then add the stock. Heat the pan just to a high simmer lowering the heat just before the boiling point. Add the truffle oil and hold this pan at a low, low simmer.
Check the rice, it should be “al dente”, soft but with a firm middle. When it is al dente remove the stock pot from the oven. Add the warm mushroom mixture, 1 Tbs butter, cream and Parmesan and stir, adjusting the liquid level as needed. (Risotto is perfect when the rice is al dente nestled in a silky sauce.) Serve immediately in warm bowl finished with fresh parsley.
Since we were exploring the Italian side of rice I opened class with some grown-up rice crispy treats. (Actually I have been dying to make this recipe but was afraid to have an entire batch in the house for very long--they are lethal!) Another classic Italian recipe transforming simple ingredients into a rich and exciting treat--that's Italian, no?
Browned Butter Rice Crispy Treats
1 stick butter
10 oz. marshmallows
1/4 t. coarse salt
6 cups crispy rice cereal
1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Melt the butter in a large heavy bottomed pan over medium low heat. The butter will foam and bubble and then start to turn brown and smell nutty. (This is the only tricky part, do not leave the stove, butter can burn quickly and then you must start over.) Stir occasionally and keep an eye on the butter. As soon as it is golden and fragrant turn off the heat and add the marshmallows. When the marshmallows are melted gradually stir in the cereal, sprinkling in a bit of salt and a few chocolate chips with each turn of the spoon until everything is incorporated.
Press into the bottom of a 9 in. x 13 in. pan, let cool and then BEWARE! This is so good.
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