Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom Risotto has to be one of the EASIEST INTIMIDATING recipes ever. You know you are at a fancy restaurant when they have some sort of mushroom risotto on the menu. I always think to myself, how hard is this to make? Well turns out it isn’t hard but there is more room for error. We stepped it up a notch and went fancy so you can peel back the fancy if you would like.

Instructions

• 2 Cups Orzo Pasta, cooked

• 4 Cups Chicken Broth

• 3-4 Cups Mushrooms, chopped

• 1 Cup White Wine

• 1 Cup Gruyere Cheese, shredded (Use Parmesan Cheese instead)

• 1/2-1 Cup Cream

• 1 White Onion, minced

• 1 Bulb Garlic, minced

• 2 Tbsp. Margarine or Butter

• 1 Parmesan Rind for flavor

• Fresh Thyme

• 3-4 Bay Leaves

• Truffle Salt & Truffle Oil to taste (optional)

• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

• In a medium pot add the chicken broth and add in the unused ends of the onion, the bay leaves, a celery stalk and whole peppercorns. Season with some salt and pepper. Allow to simmer on a back burner until needed.

• In a large pan melt butter over medium heat and add onions to cook until translucent. Add in the Parmesan rind. After about 10 minutes add in a pinch of truffle salt and 1/2 tsp. of truffle oil if desired.

• In a separate medium pan add a little butter then saute up the mushrooms and garlic. Add in the thyme bunch. Reduce heat and allow to sit.

• Add the white wine and orzo to the onion pan and cook down. Strain the broth then add the broth to the large orzo pan also.

• Remove the thyme bunch from the mushroom pan then add in the mushrooms/garlic to the orzo pan. Set a couple mushrooms to the side for garnish/presentation after.

• Add in the cream and Gruyere cheese and combine slowly until a nice creamy mixture is attained. Spoon out the parmesan rind then spoon into a bowl and garnish with salt, pepper and mushrooms that were set aside.