Harvest Month- Mushroom Risotto

Trying to chose my third recipe for Harvest Month proved a little harder than the two previous attempts. I was having trouble narrowing it down to a choice and finding something that would really appeal to me. After noticing that mushrooms were on sale that week I started thinking about what I could make with them, figuring I'd decide on a grain recipe later. And then I came across this recipe from the April 2009 issue of Everyday Food. I'd never made a risotto before, and never cooked with a rice other than your typical long grain white or brown. Seemed like a good opportunity to try out Arborio rice and use some yummy, and cheap, mushrooms. This recipe was super easy for me, especially since it's not the usual risotto. This dish is prepared in the microwave, making it a cinch for weeknight meals when time is short and you need to be able to do things other than stand at the stove and baby-sit your dinner. And it's a good thing I liked it because Arborio rice ain't cheap. I look forward to trying out a "real" risotto soon, but this will do in a pinch.

Mushroom Risotto
Recipe from Everyday Food: Serves 4














2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
10 ounces button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 cup Arborio or long-grain rice
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 garlic cloves, sliced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

• In a deep, 9-inch microwave-safe dish with a tight-fitting lid, combine butter and thyme. Microwave until butter has melted and thyme is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, and season with salt and pepper. Microwave until mushrooms have released their liquid, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• In the same dish, combine rice, broth, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cover, and microwave 9 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, and microwave until rice is tender, 9 minutes more.
• Stir in mushroom mixture; microwave until risotto is heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan. (If risotto is too thick, add water as needed.)

My notes: Based on online recipe reviews I only added one cup of water, as opposed to two, and it came out great. For a nice vegetarian dinner I served the risotto with a side salad and some roasted broccoli.