Wild Mushroom Risotto

Its getting towards the end of the quarter which means that tests are becoming more and more frequent, papers are beginning to be due, and presentations are given, which means the stress heightens. My best friend had one of those weeks, three midterms...Physics, Linear Algebra, and Analysis...So I decided to reward her with a nice hearty meal and a big glass of wine. 


I was walking through the farmers market the other day and stopped at the most beautiful mushroom stand. They had every mushroom imaginable, portabellas, creminis, oyster, shitaki, etc. and let me tell you...I LOVE mushrooms. So I mean I had to make something with mushrooms right? I mean how could I not? And what could be better than wild mushroom risotto? With garlicky greens, and tomato-basil bread? I know, nothing. So that is what I made. Pure love.


What you need:
Wild Mushroom Risotto
-4cups vegetable stock
-2 medium onions, finely chopped
-1/2 head of celery, finely chopped
-5 cloves garlic, minced
-2lbs assorted wild mushrooms of choice, chopped into bite size pieces.
-1 3/4cup arborio rice
-1/4cup olive oil
-1 1/2cup dry white wine (I used twobuck chuck sauvignon blanc)
-Fresh Parsley and Basil, chopped
-Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat stick in saucepan to near boiling
2. Heat 1tblsp olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot (I used my ceramic coated cast iron) over medium heat. Add onion, celery, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook until soft, 10-15 minutes. Add rice, salt and pepper, cook one minute, or until rice is slightly translucent, stirring constantly. Turn up heat to medium high.
3. Add wine and cook until absorbed, stirring constantly. Add a pinch of salt.
4. Add one ladle of stock (1/2cup), cook until absorbed, stirring constantly. After stock is absorbed, add another ladleful. This process should take 15 minutes or so. 
5. When all the stock is absorbed, turn off the heat, put on the lid and let it sit for 3 minutes. Then take off the lid stir in the rest of the olive oil, basil, and parsley and serve.

 

What you need:

Garlicy Greens

-8cups greens (kale, spinach, mustard greens, dandeline greens, etc) stems removed, chopped

-1 medium onion, chopped

-1 head of garlic, minced

-Vegetable Broth

-Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat oil in a large high sided pan and saute onions and garlic until translucent.
2. Add greens to pan and smash down into the pan if there is to many.
3. Add enough vegetable broth to coat the green, add salt and pepper generously and cover with lid.
4. Cook until greens are significantly cooked down.
5. Taste and adjust seasonings accordingly.

What you need:

Tomato-Basil Bread

-1 loaf artisan bread of choice (I used a kamatra olive loaf)

-Non-dairy Butter (earth balance)

-Fresh basil, chopped

-Sundried tomatoes, chopped

-1head of roasted garlic

          -To make roasted garlic:

                -Take a head of garlic, slice of the top and place on a piece of tin foil. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cover with ti foil and place in a 400F oven for 45 minutes. Remove from over and open foil, let cool until able to handle. Squeeze cloves out and smash with a fork.

1. Slice the loaf length wise.
2. Combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl and spread on one side of the loaf. Place the other side on top, wrap in tin foil and place in 400F oven for roughly 20 minutes. Cut and serve.