Happy Friday!

If you have ever had authentic risotto made by a true Italian (I have – thank you Lucia!), you know how good it is. What you may not know is that this dish is normally made without cream. The key to risotto is to use a short or medium grain rice (typically Arborio) which releases starch and effectively soaks up liquid, which makes the dish creamy.

LEGEND HAS IT…

…an apprentice glassmaker named Valerius invented risotto in 1574 in Milan, Italy. He was working on a stained glass window meant for the Duomo Di Milano and was made fun of by the townspeople for using a lot of saffron color in his work of art. Allegedly, the mockery led him to dump some extra saffron into the rice that was being cooked for his master’s wedding and the dish was a big success.

Saffron rice comes from the north of Italy so that part of the story makes sense and today, saffron risotto is called Risotto alla Milanese. More than likely risotto, as it has come to be known – which is more of a technique for cooking rice than anything, was created in the 1800’s. Rice was first introduced to Italy and Spain by the Arabs during the Middle Ages. The humid climate of the Mediterranean was found to be a good place to grow shorter-grained rices and popularity of rice spread. Rice was originally used as a medicine in the form of porridge for upset stomachs. Eventually, rice became a food staple and slow-cooking techniques dominated the culinary landscape of Italy. Risotto was born.

Making a good risotto requires a little time and patience but is relatively easy. Use the wrong rice, and you do not have a risotto. Cook it like traditional rice (put it in a pan with water & salt and wait) and you do not have a risotto. You must use a shorter grain rice like Arborio, Carnaroli, Maratelli or Vialone nano. Short grain rices have more starch (amylopectin) that dissolves in water. The released starch binds the rice in a creamy-like compound.

TIPS & TRICKS FOR A SUCCESSFUL RISOTTO 

• Use a short grain rice like Arborio
• Heat your stock (in this case vegetable) in advance and keep warm on the stove as you add it ladleful by ladleful
• Make sure the last ladle of stock is absorbed before adding the next
• Cook rice on medium heat, stir often but give it time to simmer in between
• Make sure your pot is not too wide that the rice is too thinly layered at the bottom – the rice kernels need to bump up against each other to release the starch
• Cook your rice only until it is al dente or you will end up with a mushy mess
• Cook vegetables separately and add them in at the end
• Also add cheese and butter at the end (in this case, vegan parmesan cheese- recipe below, and vegan butter)

MUSHROOM & LEEK RISOTTO – VEGAN & GLUTEN FREE

March 3, 2017

by Susie Belanger

Category Uncategorized

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 vegetable broth (kept warm and simmering)
• 2 tablespoon raw, organic, unrefined coconut oil
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms, cleaned with a wet paper towel and sliced
• salt & pepper
• 3/4 cup thinly sliced leeks
• 1 cup arborio rice (I normally suggest you soak your rice but not for this dish)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (or more vegetable broth)
• 1 Tbsp vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese* recipe below
• Fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, heat vegetable broth to simmer and keep warm
2. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil and add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until lightly browned and soft. Remove from pan and set aside in a dish.
3. Heat the same large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp coconut oil and leeks. Sauté for a couple of minutes until soft and lightly browned.
4. Add your rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally to coat the rice with the oil.
5. Add white wine and stir gently. Cook for a couple of minutes until the wine is absorbed.
6. Using a ladle, add 1/2 cup of your warmed vegetable broth, stirring often but also allowing the risotto to come to a simmer in between. Keep your heat at medium, and remember to stir and allow the rice to come back to a simmer every so often.
7. Continue to add vegetable broth 1/2 a cup at a time and stir and simmer. Wait until the last ladleful is absorbed before adding the next ladleful.
8. The whole adding stock process should last about 15 minutes.
9. Once rice is just al dente (be careful not to overcook), remove it from heat, add the vegan butter, homemade vegan parmesan cheese (see below) and the cooked mushrooms. Stir to combine.
10. Add parsley to garnish your plated dishes.
11. I find that this dish is best day one and loses its texture if kept in the fridge and reheated later.

VEGAN PARMESAN CHEESE

Vegan parmesan cheese is easy to make but I recommend you soak the nuts 4-8 hours before to make your cheese creamy rather than chunky.

In a food processor, add 1/2 raw soaked cashews, 1.5 tablespoons nutritional yeast, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1 garlic clove and pulse until well combined. If you want an even creamier cheese, add a little vegetable stock until you get your desired consistency.

P.S. I adapted this risotto dish from a recipe by the Minimalist Baker (she’s awesome!) who was inspired by a recipe from Giada de Laurentiis.

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