Easy Brown Rice Risotto with Mushrooms and Fresh Oregano

Adapted from: Cookie and Kate

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil and butter, some combination to taste
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 16 ounces sliced Cremini (baby portobello) mushrooms, sliced or coarsely chopped
• ½ cup dry white wine, optional
• 5 cups (40 ounces) vegetable broth, divided (I use Better than Boullion's "No Chicken" vegetable base to make 5 cups
• 1 ½ cups brown arborio or short-grain brown rice
• 4 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves removed from stems and larger leaves torn into small pieces
• Chopped fresh parsley to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Make sure your oven rack is in the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat 1-2 tablespoon olive oil/butter in a medium Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add shallots and mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes, then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until the shallots are well browned.
3. Add white wine and cook until evaporated.
4. Add rice and maybe a little more oil. Stir until all rice is coated with oil.
5. Add 5 cups broth, oregano, parsley, and cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 
6. Cover the pot and bake until rice is tender and cooked through, but still "poridgey." I set my timer for 50 minutes, took the lid off and then checked it every ten minutes. At 70 minutes, rice was al dente and poridgey.
7. Remove the pot from the oven. Add the Parmesan, and Gruyere, and pepper to taste.
8. Stir until the rice is thick and creamy and cheese is all melted.

Notes

Cookie and Kate say: Recipe adapted from my version of America’s Test Kitchen’s baked rice (recipe here) and Ina Garten, via Food Network.

To make arancini (risotto balls)

I made this to make arancini, so I very finely chopped the mushrooms and shallots in the food processor. After cooking the rice, I chilled in in the fridge until cool.

Then make balls, football shaped and set on wax paper. Roll in Panko, seasoned if you have it (Aldi's had whole wheat panko - whoda thunk?)

Place on parchment paper on cookie sheet and convection bake at 450, 15- 20 minutes. For a less healthy version, pan fry or deep fry.