Mushroom Risotto & Leftover Risotto Rice Cakes

If you've never made risotto because the cost of the arborio rice stopped you dead in your tracks, I have some good news for you.  

I make risotto with calrose rice, which we find for about a buck a pound at our local Costco.   

Paired with grilled steak or chicken and a fresh salad and you'll think you walked into a charming little bistro and not to your own kitchen table.

This recipe makes quite a bit, so making risotto rice cakes extends the joy for another time!  It is super easy and I've included the instructions at the bottom of this recipe.

Mushroom Risotto

Makes 6-8 servings

• 1½ C arborio or calrose rice
• 4 C chicken or vegetable stock
• ½ C white wine
• 1 medium shallot or ½ C chopped onion
• 1 C sliced fresh mushrooms
• 4 T butter
• 1 T olive oil
• ¼ C grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 T chopped parsley
• Sea salt, to taste

1. Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock just stays hot.
2. Melt 1 T butter in a large saucepan.  Saute the mushrooms until they're soft. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In the same pan, heat the olive oil and 1 T of the butter over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the chopped shallot or onion. Saute for 2-3 minutes or until it is slightly translucent.
4. Add the rice to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted butter. Saute for another minute or so, until there is a slightly nutty aroma. Don't let the rice turn brown.
5. Add the wine and cook while stirring, until the liquid is fully absorbed.
6. Add a ladle of hot stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladle of stock and repeat the process.
   Note: It's important to stir constantly, especially while the hot stock gets absorbed, to prevent scorching, and add the next ladle as soon as the rice is almost dry.
7. Continue adding ladles of hot stock and stirring the rice while the liquid is absorbed. As it cooks, you'll see that the rice will take on a creamy consistency as it begins to release its natural starches.
8. Continue adding stock, a ladle at a time, for 20-30 min. or until the grains are tender but al dente. 
9. When you're down to your last few ladles of stock, add the cooked mushrooms. If you run out of stock and the risotto still isn't done, you can finish the cooking using hot water. Just add the water as you did with the stock, a ladle at a time, stirring while it's absorbed.
10. Stir in the remaining 2 T butter, the Parmesan cheese and the parsley, and season to taste with Kosher salt.
11. Serve.

Risotto turns glutinous if it sits too long before serving. Risotto should form a soft, creamy mound on a dinner plate. It shouldn't run across the plate, or be stiff or gluey.

Using Leftover Risotto: Got leftovers? This recipe for risotto cakes is a great way to use leftover risotto.

Risotto Cakes

• 1 cup or more leftover risotto, chilled

1. Heat a tablespoon or so of butter or oil over low to medium heat in a nonstick sauté pan.
2. Depending on how much cooked risotto you have, you can either form it into a ball and then flatten it into a patty, or if you have quite a bit, you can press the cooked risotto into the pan and flatten it into one large, pan-shaped cake which you can then cut into wedges.
3. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until a crispy, golden-brown crust forms on the bottom. Flip and do the same the other side. Serve hot.