Risotto with Greens

Source: tucsoncsa.org

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Adapted by: tucsoncsa.org

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch (or bag) greens, chopped (use Tokyo bekana, arugula, bok choi, radish greens, or a combination of all of them).
  • 1 cup arborio rice
  • 1 cup dry or fresh mushrooms
  • 1 onion, scallions or onions finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic scapes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock, heated
  • 1 teaspoon thyme (consider adding other herbs from your herb pot or a fresh herb medley)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
  • Salt (or dried chili flakes) and pepper to taste

Directions

Place dried mushrooms in a bowl, cover them with 1 cup of boiling water and soak for 5 minutes. Drain and reserve the drained water. Sauté fresh mushrooms for 5 minutes (if you don’t have dried mushrooms). In a skillet, heat oil to medium-hot and sauté mushrooms and onions until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and stir. When rice is hot, adding 1/4 cup reserved mushroom water. Add thyme and garlic. Stir gently and continuously until liquid is almost absorbed. Repeat the process, 1/4 cup at a time, with the rest of the mushroom water and heated stock, stirring the rice continuously. The rice should be kept to a mild simmer throughout this process, which will take about 20 minutes. Add more stock if necessary. Never let the rice dry entirely, nor make it swim in stock. When rice is almost cooked (it should still be al dente), add the greens and fold them into the rice. Add a little more stock if the mixture becomes too dry. Continue to stir until the greens are cooked (another 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the greens).  At that point, the rice should be soft and ready.

Add grated Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste.