creamy cauliflower & mushroom risotto

i’m a big fan of kitchen improv. but sometimes it works best to have a starting point. this time around, it was this fab recipe from canadian living that provided a little culinary inspiration.

i’ll admit that i was too lazy (and hungry!) that evening to bother with roasting the cauliflower. and i didn’t have any chicken broth or parmesan cheese on-hand either. so kitchen improv it was… with blanched cauliflower, sauteed mushrooms and some freshly ground nutmeg to boot! yummers.

adapted from canadian living

– heat large saucepan on high heat
– add 3 tsp unsalted butter to pan

the rice:
combine the following ingredients in large saucepan and bring to a boil:
– 1.5 cups organic arborio rice
– 2.25 cups water

– once boiling, reduce heat to medium & simmer for 10-12min.
– stir ingredients until water is absorbed and rice turns into a creamy consistency

the veggies:
– heat up 1/4 cup water in a large wok
– add 3 cups of cauliflower florets
– blanch cauliflower florets until slightly tender
– remove from heat & set aside

– in a large saucepan, melt 1 tbsp unsalted butter on medium heat
– brown 1 large shallot (peeled, rough chop) in pan
– add 1.5 cup crimini mushrooms (gently washed, diced)
– brown the mushrooms w/ shallots
– remove from heat & set aside

the risotto:
– add cooked arborio rice to the blanched cauliflower in wok
– add sauteed mushrooms
– gently stir & fold veggies into risotto
– continue to stir & gradually add small amounts of water, until the water is absorbed
– season w/ freshly ground nutmeg

(tip: use a rasp to grate fresh nutmeg for best flavour, instead of the pre-ground spice.)

– add 1/2 cup fresh italian parsley (finely chopped) to wok
– gently stir & fold parsley into cauliflower & mushroom risotto
– season w/ ground black peppercorns to taste
– simmer & stir for 5-7min
– season again w/ freshly ground nutmeg

food styling:
– for a more rustic look (and for portion control!), i like to dish up creamy risotto into small individual ramekins.
– for for a sharing feast, place the creamy risotto in a large, shallow serving bowl.

– season w/ ground black peppercorns
– season w/ freshly ground nutmeg
– garnish w/ fresh italian parsley (finely chopped)

adapted from canadian living

leftovers are so under-rated…
stayed tuned for a leftover redux recipe for cauliflower mushroom risotto w/ prawn rainbow chard! here’s a sneak-peek.