Having returned from the Christmas break, to sub-zero temperatures and snow, I was looking for a recipe that would bring us a little comfort as we snuggled up on the sofa.
Dairy-free risotto is actually quite easy as a lot of the creaminess comes from the starch that comes out of the rice whilst cooking. An additional bonus is that this recipe doesn’t call for the hours of stirring a traditional risotto does, so you can have a glass of wine whilst it is cooking…or read a book!
I liked this dish without the added creaminess from the vegan cream cheese, as I like the earthy taste from the mushrooms to stay dominant, but Mr B, likes his typical creamy restaurant style risotto, so I added this in for him.
I hope this brings you some warmth and comfort on a cold January day.
Happy New Year, from Tasha.Kitchen
Ingredients
For the risotto;
- 3 tbsp. olive oil, divided
- 1 small shallot, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups organic vegetable broth, divided
- 1½ cups short-grain brown rice
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- ½ cup dry white wine, optional
- 2 teaspoons tamari (optional)
- 2 tbsp. Vegan cream cheese (optional)
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
For the pea-shoots;
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 box/4 handfuls of pea-shoots
Method
- Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a deep pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for ten minutes, then add the minced garlic. Cook for another 2 to 4 minutes, until the onions are well browned.
- Add the wine if using and the rice, mix till coated and then add the broth
- Turn heat down to a simmer and cook the rice (c. 45mins)
- During the last 10 minutes of cooking time, prepare the mushrooms. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet until shimmering. Add the cleaned, sliced mushrooms to the pot with a dash of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are darker in color, fragrant and have soaked up most of their own juices, about 13 minutes.
- Add to the rice and let cook together, including the juices from the mushrooms
- Season with salt and pepper
- I stop here as this is rich enough for me, but Mr. B likes a creamy risotto, so at this point I added the vegan cream cheese and stirred until it was thoroughly mixed in
- For the pea-shoots, add the oil to a pan and brig it to a high heat, add the garlic and stir for 20 seconds, until fragrant
- Add the pea-shoots and keeping tossing in the oil till they have wilted a little, c.2minutes
- Take off the heat, season with a little salt and top the risotto with the pea-shoots for some added vitamins and a little crunch
