So on Sundays I generally try and catch up on the colossal amount of study I should have done all weekend and didn’t (as always).. You think I’d learn but nope, never..

Anywho so I try and make a decent starchy comfort food to get me through Sunday and Monday and hopefully Tuesday (may not always last til then). Since my visit to Salon des Saveurs (food of Gods my friends, food of Gods..) I have had quite a craving for risotto of some sort. But somehow I haven’t quite gotten round to it. However, I did some shopping on Friday and picked up 2 packs of mushrooms – mixed oyster and shiitake (I always always read that as shit-ake), and so mushroom risotto was popping up in my head. It had to be done! I find risotto really comforting to make actually, it’s therapeutic in a way.

Now I’m simultaneously eating, watching How I met your mother, and typing this! Study breaks are really productive… See?

It’s yum. It’s really yummy. Make it.

Mushroom Risotto

• 500-700g mushrooms, any you prefer
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• A chunk of lovely butter and a smidgen of olive oil
• 250g arborio risotto rice
• 1 cup of white wine
• 700mls of stock (I used a really nice veg stock, but whatever you have will work nicely!)
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan

1. Prepare prepare prepare – for this you’ll be largely standing over the pot so have it all prepared:
   1. Finely chop your onions and garlic
   2. Wash, dry and chop your mushrooms
   3. Grate your parmesan and have it ready
   4. Make up your stock – you want to keep it warm too so you might want to do it in a saucepan
2. Ok, heat up your butter and olive oil in a saucepan. Add your onion and garlic and cook gently until soft.
3. Add in your mushrooms and cook for about 2-3 minutes depending how small you’ve cut up the mushrooms. You want them to be just almost done.
4. Add in your rice and stir over a medium heat for about 2 minutes
5. 
6. Add your white wine. Stir until its pretty much all absorbed. Enjoy the yummy smell. This is optional but it does give it a lovely flavour. I tend to freeze wine in ice cube bags so I have some at hand. Buy during sales and its great!
7. Now begin adding your stock – I add about 3/4 of a cup at a time, and stir it. Don’t add the next bit until its absorbed.
8. Keep doing this. I know it’s tedious, but it will be worth it, trust me.
9. When you have about 2 cups left, you need to start tasting it and testing the texture. Nobody wants really stodgy mushy risotto- the best has a wee bit of a bite to it
10. When you think you’re adding in the last cup (or half cup, keep it small), you can also stir in your cheese. Lovely lovely cheese!
11. Taste, season, smell, get some plates ready
12. Dish, serve, eat, enjoy!