...The actual recipe is called Mushroom Risoniotto...and is yet another recipe from the book: 'River Cottage Veg Everyday' by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall...from the Channel 4 TV show about River Cottage...Like many of the other recipes from this book there is a fairly long ingredients list...but I really wouldn't let it put you off...the recipes so far have been tasty and pretty easy to put together...
This one serves 2 and you need:
*Olive oil, 2Tbsp
*Butter, couple of knobs
*Mushrooms, 500g - thickly sliced...a mix makes this more tasty...I used half chestnut, half white
*Garlic, 2 cloves - finely chopped
*Thyme, a couple of sprigs - leaves only
*Balsamic vinegar, 1tsp
*Orzo - or as Risoni as it is also known...(hence the recipe name!!)
*Wine, white - about 75ml
*Double cream or Creme fraiche, 100ml
*Parsley, flat leaf - a decent handful, chopped
*Salt and Pepper to season
For this dish you are basically making a mushroom sauce to add to the risoni or orzo (whichever you call it) and mixing it to make what looks like a risotto...to start you need to fry the mushrooms in the oil and butter...you should do this in two halves, half the oil, half the butter, half the mushrooms...You need to fry them so that their juices flow and then reduce to the point of almost starting to caramelise them...see the burnished bronze colour to the mushrooms in the picture above?? That's what you are looking for...and the reason for doing it in two halves is to stop them stewing in their own juices...
...once the second half of the mushrooms are cooked, add in the thyme leaves, garlic and balsamic vinegar...stir it up ...and cook for a few minutes...
...then throw in the wine and cook until it has almost all reduced down...
...add the cream or creme fraiche, stir, bring to a simmer and turn the heat right down...
...let the sauce cook for a few minutes, taste, season...
...and add the parsley...
The pasta needs to be cooked so that it will be ready just before you need to eat...in my case, the orzo took 9 minutes...so cook, drain and tip into the pan of mushroom sauce...
...give it one last taste for seasoning before serving up...
...I enjoyed the dish, but I added some parmesan and had mine with some steamed tenderstem broccoli...
...and although there was none left at the end of the meal, I can't help thinking it was lacking something...not sure what at the moment, and I am intrigued enough to want to try it again...so not all bad...in fact, pretty good really...
Looks good! Nice, healthy and flavourful dish! Well done on this!
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