Description

At heart, this is a summer risotto–earthy and green, minty and citrusy. It’s mushroom and rapini layered with shades of thyme and pepper, shallots and dry sparkling wine.

Scale

Ingredients

1 cup arborio rice

1 1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, cut into small dice

1/2 cup rapini stems, chopped finely

1/2 cup rapini leaves, chopped finely

1/2 cup fennel, diced finely or grated into thin strips

2 tsbp. butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup shallots, diced small

20 sprigs of thyme or 1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 cup sparkling wine or 1 1/2 tbsp. white distilled vinegar or 1/2 tsp. lemon

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

1 tsp. pepper

Salt to taste (approximately 1 tsp. )

5 cups water

Instructions

Preparing the Broth:

Blend 1 cup chopped mushrooms with 3 cups water. Pass through a fine mesh strainer and reserve the mushroom broth. The liquid should be a caramel-chocolate color.
Blend 1/2 cup rapini stems plus 1/2 cup fennel shavings with 2 cups water. Pass through a fine mesh strainer. The broth should be a grass green color
You should have five cups of broth. Keep the two broths separate. Heat them till warm.

Making the Risotto:

Heat 1 tbsp. each of olive oil and butter for for 3-4 mins. till the butter is almost melted.
Add the minced garlic and 1/2 cup shallots. Cook for 2 mins.
Toss in 1/2 cup rapini leaves and saute for 3 mins.
Add in 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms, the thyme sprigs and 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Cook for another 3 mins. If using dried thyme instead of fresh, toss it in now.
Add 1 cup arborio rice and 1/2 cup dry sparkling wine. If making for kids, skip the sparkling wine and add 1 1/2 tbsp. white distilled vinegar. Stir to coat evenly with the veggies. Cook for 3-5 mins. till the moisture from the wine dries up.
Add 1 cup mushroom broth. Keep stirring until the liquid is mostly absorbed, about 3 mins.
Season with 1/4 tsp. each of pepper and salt.
Add 2nd cup mushroom broth. Continue stirring occasionally. This time, it takes a bit longer for the liquid to be absorbed, about 6 minutes.
Season with 1/4 tsp. each of pepper and salt.
Add 1 cup rapini broth. Continue occasional stirring until liquid is dissolved, about 6 minutes.
Season with 1/4 tsp. each of pepper and salt.
Add 2nd cup rapini broth. Repeat occasoinal stirring until liquid is dissolved, about 9 minutes.
Try the risotto. Adjust seasoning according to taste. Determine how much liquid is necessary for rice to get done.
I added 1/2 cup more mushroom broth. Stir until done, approximately 3 mins.
Turn off the stove and add 1 tbsp. of butter plus any cheese (if using). If not using sparking wine/white wine vinegar, then add a few drops of lemon here. Mix everything together. The residual heat should melt the cheese and butter, giving the risotto an unctuous, creamy texture.
Serve hot!

Notes

If you have dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms, you can make the following mushroom stock as well: i) Soak 1 cup dried mushroom in 1 cup warm water. Strain and reserve the liquid. ii) Blend 1 cup crimini mushrooms in 2 cups water and pass through a fine mesh strainer. iii) Mix the blended crimini mushroom liquid with the dried mushroom broth for 3 cups of complex stock.
If you cannot find rapini (broccoli rabe), then substitute mustard greens. DO NOT substitute broccoli. Rapini is from the turnip family, not from the broccoli one.
As mentioned above, if making for kids, skip the wine and use white distilled vinegar. If you don’t have either, then squeeze 1/2 tbsp. of lemon on the risotto whle adding the butter and cheese. Mix well.

Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 365
Sugar: 1.4
Sodium: 716
Fat: 11.6
Saturated Fat: 5
Carbohydrates: 50.7
Fiber: 7
Protein: 12.1
Cholesterol: 19

Keywords: mushroom, mushroom risotto, rapini, broccoli rabe, risotto, crimini, green rissotto, veganfoodie, vegetarian foodie, vegan risotto, vegetarian risotto