Here I am, the Light and Tasty recipe of the week is ready! 😃 I prepared a risotto with fresh and dried mushrooms, a very simple recipe that aptly represents today’s theme, the colors of autumn: what’s more autumnal than that soft forest color typical of mushrooms?
I used my beloved button mushrooms, I certainly didn’t go mushroom hunting (even though I’d love to learn!), but as you already know, I always try to keep cultivated mushrooms in the fridge because I find them very versatile in the kitchen, and they often solve the last-minute lunch dilemma, which in my chaotic daily life is crucial!
Additionally, I also used dried button mushrooms. Not the dried mushrooms you usually buy, but ones I dried myself with my dehydrator. It was a test of drying, which was supposed to be followed by a second and larger production (and a subsequent recipe), but… as you know, I constantly have many things to do and ideas to develop, so this risotto came first where I used them. But consider it a preview, you will see that a tutorial dedicated to mushroom drying will arrive! 😃
👇 Meanwhile, below are some other mushroom recipes, so you can accompany this risotto with fresh and dried mushrooms with another first course (a mix of first courses is always good!) and then also an appetizer, second course, and side dish, for a fully autumn-themed lunch: 😉
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 2
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 2 oz fresh button mushrooms
- 0.35 oz dried button mushrooms
- 1 oz leek
- 1 small glass white wine
- 0.35 oz butter
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- vegetable broth
Tools
- Stainless Steel Pan
Steps
Slice a piece of leek and briefly sauté it with a teaspoon of butter in a saucepan.
Add the rice and toast it, stirring with a spoon, then deglaze with a splash of white wine.
Add the mushrooms, both the roughly chopped fresh mushrooms and the dried mushrooms.
👉 Usually, store-bought dried mushrooms need to be rehydrated in water. In this case, I felt the mushrooms I dried with my home dehydrator did not need soaking, so I used them dry.
Continue cooking the risotto by adding a ladle of hot vegetable broth at a time, as is usual in risotto cooking.
👉 For the vegetable broth, I used, as always, the unsalted vegetable granules that I make with my dehydrator.
Once cooked, stir in a teaspoon of butter and a tablespoon of Parmesan.
A very simple mushroom risotto, but for daily lunches it’s just what we need, right? 😉😊
Enjoy your meal! 🤗
Salt-Free Tips
If you are reducing salt but are not yet able to use the salt-free vegetable granules, you can prepare the granules with salt using the amount of salt suitable for your needs (and gradually decreasing the proportion over time).
If you are interested in reducing or eliminating salt, always remember to:
▫ Decrease the salt gradually, the palate needs to get used to it slowly and should not notice the progressive reduction.
▫ Use spices. Chili pepper, black pepper, curry, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cumin…
▫ Use aromatic herbs. Basil, parsley, oregano, thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, mint…
▫ Use seeds. Sesame, pine nuts, almonds, walnuts…
▫ Use spicy vegetables or fruits. Garlic, onion, lemon, orange…
▫ Use my salt-free vegetable granules
▫ Prefer fresh foods.
▫ Avoid cooking in water, prefer cooking methods that don’t lose flavors (griddle, parchment, steam, microwave)
▫ Avoid bringing the salt shaker to the table!
▫ Occasionally, allow yourself a break from the rule. It boosts your mood and helps you stay on track.
If you don’t want to, or can’t, give up salt:
▫ You can still try my recipes by seasoning them according to your habits.
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Light and Tasty:
Here are the autumn recipes from my colleagues in the Light and Tasty Team:
Carla Emilia: Pumpkin and Apple Tartlets
Daniela: Pumpkin and Spinach Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts
Elena: Bulgur with Pumpkin, Grana, and Walnuts
Milena: Risotto with Carrots, Chard, and Po Cheese
Serena: Baked Pumpkin
Carla Emilia: Pumpkin and Apple Tartlets
Daniela: Pumpkin and Spinach Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts
Elena: Bulgur with Pumpkin, Grana, and Walnuts
Milena: Risotto with Carrots, Chard, and Po Cheese
Serena: Baked Pumpkin
