Green Risotto With Mushrooms

Often I’ll finish my risotto with a bit of whipped cream to lighten it and add some extra creaminess to the sauce, but trying to develop a good vegan version had me experimenting with alternative liquids. What I discovered was that cooked vegetable purees are an ideal liquid for loosening a risotto. Not only do they add sauciness to the dish, but they pack it with flavor as well.

One of my favorites? A bright green risotto finished with a puree of spinach and herbs. As with pesto, in order to get the greens to maintain their ultrabright color, I blanch them, here in vegetable stock, and shock them in ice water before pureeing them. This deactivates the enzymes that hasten the oxidation reactions that can turn chopped greens brown.

Doesn’t bright green risotto just look awesome?

You can top the risotto with whatever you wish, but I like using mushrooms sautéed until deeply browned. A splash of lemon juice and soy sauce brightens their flavor.

SERVES 4 TO 6

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
• 6 cups homemade or canned vegetable stock or water
• 2 cups loosely packed spinach leaves
• 4 scallions, whites finely chopped, greens reserved separately
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1½ cups (about 13½ ounces) risotto-style rice (see Note here)
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated on a Microplane (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
• 8 ounces mixed wild mushrooms, such as trumpet royale, chanterelle, morel, or oyster, cut in half if large
• 1 small shallot, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon grated zest (from 1 lemon)
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Finely chop 1 tablespoon each of the parsley and tarragon. Cover with a damp paper towel and refrigerate.
2. Bring the stock to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Prepare a large ice bath. Add the spinach, the remaining parsley and tarragon leaves, and the scallion greens to the boiling water, pressing down with a wire-mesh spider to submerge them, and cook for 30 seconds, then lift out with the spider, transfer to the ice bath, and chill completely. Remove the stock from the heat.
3. Transfer the blanched greens to the jar of a blender and add ½ cup of the stock. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
4. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the rice and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until all the liquid has evaporated, the oil is bubbling, and the rice has begun to take on a pale golden blond color and nutty aroma, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and scallion whites and to cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 1 minute.
5. Add all but 1½ cups of the stock to the skillet. Stir the rice once, cover, and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cook the rice for 10 minutes, undisturbed. Stir once, shake the pan gently to redistribute the rice, cover, and continue cooking until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the rice is tender with just a faint bite, about 10 minutes longer.
6. Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and cook, tossing occasionally, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Carefully add ¼ cup of the stock, the lemon juice, and soy sauce. Remove from the heat, toss to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
7. Remove the lid from the risotto, add the remaining broth, increase the heat to high, and cook, stirring and shaking the rice constantly, until thick and creamy. Off the heat, stir in the green puree, lemon zest, and chopped parsley and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately on hot plates, topping the risotto with the mushrooms and their pan juices.