Mushroom Risotto

I was in a blah mood yesterday – the cold, gray, rainy day certainly didn’t help – and I wanted something creamy and comforting for dinner. What I really wanted was linguini with mushroom carbonara sauce (hold the bacon), but I was out of eggs and had no intention of going out into the rain to more. I had my mind set on something creamy and mushroomy (and no, cream of mushroom soup was not even close to what I wanted, I've never even eaten the stuff), and then it came to me: risotto!

Risotto is totally easy to make, it’s just a little time consuming because of the slow addition of the liquid to the rice, which is why I think people are afraid of it. Normally I wouldn’t make risotto for myself (I’m really lazy when it comes to cooking for myself and frequently resort to frozen veggie burgers and strange foods which I dare not mention on here for fear of sullying my good name), but it was the perfect comfort food for a dreary day.

Mushroom Risotto
(serves 1)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 small shallot, finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1 cup chopped mushrooms (I used half crimini and half chanterelle)
1 cup vegetable broth
½ cup water
1/3 cup Arborio rice (I like Vialone Nano)
3 tablespoons dry white wine (I always have Sauvignon Blanc around)
1 tablespoon freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
White truffle oil (optional)

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Melt the butter in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sage and cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 6-7 minutes.

In the meantime, put the vegetable broth and water into a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl and heat on high for 2 minutes.

Add the rice and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until the wine has been absorbed, about 1 minute.

Add ¼ cup of the vegetable broth, stirring occasionally. It will take about 3-4 minutes for the liquid to get fully absorbed by the rice. When almost all of the liquid has been absorbed, add another ¼ cup of the liquid. Continue doing this until you use up all the liquid and the rice is soft, but slightly firm in the center, and the entire mixture is creamy. The entire process takes about 20-22 minutes

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese and a pinch of black pepper. (I did not need to add any salt, but add salt to taste if you need it.) Transfer to a serving bowl and top with a few drops of the white truffle oil. Serve immediately.