Mushroom, Leek and Herb Risotto

It’s NOVEMBER today, which means it’s time to start narrowing down the Thanksgiving menu. I enjoy trying new recipes each year, it’s a challenge… can this year’s dishes out-taste last year’s? You know, not the same bland potatoes and green bean casserole that’s been made for a bizzillion years. I guess I enjoy variation. 🙂

Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite holidays. I love cooking, football, and spending time with family. Some of my most treasured memories are spent on Thanksgiving mornings, cooking with my momma.

This year, Darrin and I are hosting the holiday meal. I can’t wait to use our new dishes and flatware, and all of the other cooking goodies & gadgets we received as wedding gifts.

I found this recipe from I love Chocolate Milk . I do love chocolate milk… what a fabulous name for a cooking blog.

This recipe is a-m-azing. I will admit that it does take some time and effort to continuously stir in the chicken stock, but when you’re done… it’s well. well. worth it.

Our family will be enjoying this Mushroom, Leek and Herb Risotto this Thanksgiving! 🙂

Ingredients:

1 cup leeks, diced— trim tough green leaves and wash thoroughly, slice lengthwise then chop
8 ounces cremini mushrooms diced
8 ounces button mushrooms (I I like to dice most of them and then slice a few so you can clearly see it’s a mushroom risotto)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups arborio rice
¾ cup white wine (She used a pinot grigio, I used Riesling)
7 cups low-sodium chicken stock, or vegetable stock (or both!)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
extra-virgin olive oil (or butter)
salt
pepper

Yup, that’s right… using local wine. Brandeberry!

Instructions (taken directly from I Love Chocolate Milk)

Place your stock in a separate pot on low heat. Keep hot while you start the risotto. Be sure not to let it boil or else you will evaporate off a lot of the stock in the process.
In a dutch oven or large sauté pan on medium heat, coat with olive oil and sauté the leeks and garlic until softened.
Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, and sauté until softened.

4. Add the arborio rice, and toss around, toasting the rice and fully incorporating into the veggies. Do this for 2–3 minutes.

5. Add the wine, and continuously stir until the liquid is absorbed. Add a ladle full of the hot stock to the risotto. Stir continuously until the liquid is absorbed. Add another ladle, and continue the process until all the stock is incorporated. This will take about 20 minutes. Make sure to continuously, and I mean continuously, stir the pot. Your arm may start to hurt, but it’s a good workout!! Don’t add any more liquid until the liquid already in there is fully incorporated. The risotto will thicken the more liquid you add and the more you stir.