Spinach and Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is one of the first vegetarian dishes that come to mind for restaurants and dinner party hosts alike, it seems. Not that it's a bad thing- I'd just never felt inclined to cook it myself because it seemed like such a cliché. (It didn't help that they served some bastardised version of it at my very doomed prom a year back. And it was doomed from the start. It ended with a first fight with the DJ, 'nuff said).

But I found a thing of arborio rice in my cabinet and considered that I may not have given this ricey dish enough credit. I wanted to try it out myself, having white wine on hand as I rarely do.

I mostly stuck to the recipe printed on the rice bag with a few amendments. I made mine vegetarian using good-quality mushroom bouillon cubes (remember to check for MSG, which makes it taste like something from an instant noodle packet. Otherwise use homemade vegetable broth made with a few dried mushrooms or mushroom stems left over from other recipes). I also added spinach for some leafy green goodness (it goes well with creamy foods) and replaced some of the broth with milk (since I'd used light cream where I should've used heavy cream, I wanted to add more dairy someplace else). I reduced the oil and butter simply because it seemed to be enough for my tastes, but double up those amounts if you like it rich. Lastly, I added garlic, oregano and bay leaf as additional seasonings. 

The overall verdict on this recipe was resoundingly positive from everyone who ate it, myself included- if I'd realised how good homemade risotto could be I'd have started making it years ago. 

And if it's cliché... to hell with it, it's a delicious one- and worth trying at home. And the best part is you can cook the rice to just the degree of toothsomeness that you want. It's creamy, aromatic, comforting, and just cheesy enough. Have it with the leftover wine, since you only need a bit for cooking- it's the economical thing to do.

Spinach and Mushroom Risotto
Adapted from the recipe on the back of the Italpasta Arborio Rice bag

1 TBSP Olive oil
1 TBSP Butter
1 Bay leaf
3 Garlic cloves, minced
6 Cremini mushrooms, sliced (boletus would also work nicely if you can get it) 
1 Onion, finely diced
Pinch of salt
1/2 Tsp. Black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 C. Dry white wine
Sprig of fresh oregano, or 2 Tsp. dried oregano
2 C. Arborio rice
4 C. Vegetable stock made with mushrooms (or 4 C. water and 2 mushroom bouillon cubes) 
2 C. Whole milk (or 2% with a splash of cream)
1 Large spinach bunch
1/2 C. Parmesan, grated (or another similar hard sharp cheese)

Heat up half of the butter and olive oil to medium-high in a large skillet. Add the bay leaf and garlic. Cook until beginning to brown, then add the mushrooms and onion, along with the salt and pepper. Sauté until slightly browned, then add the wine. Cook for about a minute, then add the oregano and rice. 

Add the rest of the oil and butter and stir to coat the rice in the fat. Add about half of the stock and let cook covered until completely absorbed before adding the rest of the stock. Cook until somewhat tender, then add the milk and cook uncovered until thickened, stirring. If the rice still seems too firm when the milk is absorbed, add some additional wine or water and mix in.

Chop the spinach coarsely and add. Cover and let the spinach wilt before mixing it in, along with the parmesan. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as desired.