Mushroom Risotto is a Cakewalk

Mushroom risotto looks very fancy and tastes amazing and takes about 15 minutes. And yes, I cheat.

Here's the deal. Risotto is a great food and can be loads of fun to play around with when you have time. But when you want to get dinner on the table quickly, take a shortcut. If I did this risotto from scratch it would require broth and butter and olive oil and onions and cream and herbs and cheese lots and lots of stirring and adding liquid a bit at a time until it's absorbed and blah blah blah. It's Monday, for god's sake. I will not be doing that.

Instead, I use Trader Joe's Mushroom Ristotto, which quite frankly would suck if it were eaten prepared as directed, unaugmented. But as a base, it's great. Cook it with white wine instead of water, top it with fresh mushrooms sauteed in olive oil, garlic, and rosemary, and you have a keeper.

For two servings you'll need about:

• 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms (I used shiitakes)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, snipped
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
  

Heat the oil in a saute pan. While it comes up to heat, slice the mushrooms, then throw them in the pan. Sprinkle with salt. Add the garlic and rosemary and saute over high heat until the mushrooms give up their juices and turn golden brown (about 7 - 9 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside in a dish; cover it with foil.

Prepare the risotto mix as directed (use white wine, or broth if you prefer, instead of the water called for). Spoon the prepared risotto onto plates and top with your mushroom mixture. Toss a scant handful of grated parm on top and add a grind of fresh pepper. Serve it with a green salad.

Niiiiiice. And easy.

Photos by the Man.