Risotto has become an easy, go to meal for us in recent years. We usually start off with our usual base, and then add in ingredients such as the mushrooms in this dish. It always comes out perfect.

Portabella Mushroom Risotto

(Usual Base)
2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice (short grain rice)
1/2 cup white wine (anything open is fine)
4 cups chicken stock, warmed
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
salt & pepper to taste

6 portabella mushroom caps
2 cups fresh spinach
2 tbsp chives

In a large sauce pan, bring chicken stock to a simmer. Heat a large, high-sided saute pan and add olive oil and onions. Saute about 5 minutes or until softened, don’t brown. Add in garlic and saute another minute. Add in cup of rice and stir. Add in mushrooms and saute another 3 – 5 minutes, until moisture is cooked out of them a little. Deglaze with white wine, stirring constantly. Slowly add in a half cup of stock, stirring slowly but constantly to make sure all rice has been incorporated. Let the stock cook into the rice a little while still stirring. This process will take a bit. Slowly stir in a half cup to cup of stock and stir until well combined before adding anymore stock. This will help the rice become creamy without adding cream.

When you have about a 1/2 cup left of stock, add in spinach, chives and parmesan before you add the last bit of stock. The stock will help wilt the spinach. Slowly stir everything and let cook down to creamy rice. Don’t forget to stir! This process usually takes 20 – 30 minutes. It seems like a lot of time, but it is worth it. Garnish with a little more shredded parmesan.