Receta Restaurant Week Inspiration
Restaurant Week Inspiration
Last week my fireman and I celebrated Dallas Restaurant Week with an evening at the elegant Mi Piaci. The Special 4th Course was served, and it was an asparagus and shiitake mushroom blend risotto-oh so creamy and delicious..and with how rich it was, I'm sure loaded with calories. Risotto of any kind is among my favorite Italian dishes, mainly due to the incredible versatility it provides. Risottos are classically made with a medium-grain rice called Arborio, but don't forget to seek out barley, steel-cut oats, quinoa, and bulgur for your risotto making. Like Arborio rice, these grains contain lots of starch that are easily and slowly released with the constant stirring action that takes place when preparing this characteristicly creamy dish. For my risotto, I used Arborio rice, but you can surely change up the grain, add or subtract the mushrooms, exchange for more vegetables and use beef/chicken broth or even red wine in place of the white. The options are endless!
Baby Bella Risotto
INGREDIENTS:
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 2 teaspoons olive or canola oil
- 2 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved, thinly sliced crosswise (about 2 cups)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large white onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup fat free half and half cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
DIRECTIONS:
Place vegetable broth in a microwave safe dish; cook on HI for 2 minutes and 30 second, bringing to a simmer. Set aside. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sliced leeks and cook, stirring, until the onion and leeks are very soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, stirring to cook, until soft and aromatic. Remove all ingredients from the pan and set aside for later. Add rice to the hot pot and stir to coat, about 1 minute. Add wine and stir until almost all liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup hot broth. Simmer until broth is almost absorbed, stirring often, about 4 minutes. Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding next and stirring often, until rice is tender and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes longer. Pour in half and half, stirring until combined and (even more) creamy. Add leek/onion/mushroom mixture and butter. Sprinkle with parmesan, fold into risotto until combined.
Nutrition Information
6 servings: 3/4 cup each
Calories: 298
Fat: 3.8 g
Carbohydrates: 51 g
Fiber: 3.1 g
Protein: 8.5 g