Caramelized Shiitake Mushroom Risotto with Tahini
A delicious risotto with caramelized mushrooms, creamy tahini, and rich Parmesan cheese, ready in under forty minutes.
Servings: 2 Portions
Calories: 484kcal
Ingredients
- 150 g Risotto Rice Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano
- 125 g Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Garlic Clove Peeled
- 1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme
- 600 ml Vegetable Stock
- 1 tablespoon Tahini
- 2 tablespoon Parmesan Cheese Grated
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Parsley Washed and Finely Chopped
- Salt and Pepper to Taste
Instructions
Mise En Place - Prep
- Warm up the vegetable stock in a medium pot, and keep it warm throughout the cooking process. As it reaches a light simmer, reduce the heat to low. The broth is added to the risotto rice as it cooks, and you don't want to lower its temperature by adding cold stock, as this cooks the grains unevenly.
- Using a clean and dry teatowel or kitchen paper, wipe down the mushrooms, cleaning them well.
- Cut the mushrooms in bite-sized pieces.
- In a large pan, heat up half of the olive oil on medium heat. Once warm, add the sliced shiitake mushrooms and cook them on medium flame for approximately 6-8 minutes. This will allow them to cook thoroughly, while also caramelizing their edges. It is important that the pan is large enough so that the mushrooms have enough space to cook evenly, without overlapping and retaining steam, which will stop the caramelizing process.
- Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set them aside.
Cooking The Risotto
- Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan and heat it up again. Once warm, add the clove of garlic, thinly chopped onions, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Mix well and sautee on low to medium heath until the onion is soft and the garlic clove turns golden brown. This will take approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Next, remove the garlic clove from the pan.
- Add the risotto rice and mix it well. Toast the rice until it becomes translucent around the edges. mixing often to avoid it sticking to the pan.
- OPTIONAL: Now, add the dry white wine if you decide to use it. Mix the rice well and allow the alcohol to be completely evaporated on a high flame before proceeding to the next step.
- Reduce the heat to low, and add a couple of ladels of vegetable stock to the risotto, and mix.
- Add broth to the rice as required, and mix well every couple of minutes, to allow the rice to release its starch. Keep the flame on low, allowing the risotto and broth to lightly simmer, but not boil. Don't wait for the broth to be completely evaporated before adding more, but there is still a little of it.
- When the risotto is 95% cooked and still well al dente, add the tahini sauce and Parmesan cheese. Mix well, keeping the pan on low heat while the dish finishes cooking.
- Once the risotto is ready, remove from the heat and add the caramelized mushrooms and butter. Mix well, until the butter is completely melted and incorporated to the dish.
- Allow the shiitake mushroom risotto to rest for a couple of minutes, before serving it with a little fresh parsley on top!
Notes
Storing and Reheating: Risotto is a dish best served freshly made, as its consistency changes once reheated. Should there be leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for up to three days, while you can freeze them for up to three months. To serve, thaw the risotto overnight in the refrigerator and reheat it in the microwave or a pan adding a little water to bring back its creaminess.
Nutrition
Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 81g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 1340mg | Potassium: 400mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1026IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 115mg | Iron: 5mg