ZUCCHINI AND MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Vegetarian|Gluten-free|Italian|Sides

Ingredients

3 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 large sweet onion, chopped

6 large garlic cloves chopped

1 cup sliced mushrooms (button, cremini, or shitake)

1 cup arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

3 cups shredded zucchini (1 medium-large zucchini or 2 small)

1 ½-2 cups warm chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (plus more on the side for sprinkling)

Instructions

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Cook the onions and garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Add rice to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes more, stirring frequently, until the rice is toasty and begins to lightly brown.

At this point, stirring almost constantly is required to create a creamy delicious result. Add the wine to the pan and stir frequently until it is almost completely absorbed, and the bottom of the pan shows no liquid when you pull the rice to the side.

Add 1 cup of the shredded zucchini and ½ cup of the chicken stock to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the moisture is again mostly absorbed when you pull the rice to the side in the pan. Add another cup of the zucchini and another ½ cup of stock and repeat the process. Add the last cup of grated zucchini and another ½ cup of the stock and cook until the moisture is again absorbed.

Continue adding the remaining chicken stock in ½ cup increments until the rice is plump and tender (but with some ‘tooth’) when you taste it – not mushy. You may not need all of the stock.

Add the salt, pepper, heavy cream, and parmesan to the pan. Cook, stirring, for 1-2 more minutes until a luscious cream sauce coats the rice. Serve immediately.

Note – if you have leftovers, this risotto makes delicious arancini (Italian rice balls stuffed with cheese) the next day!