I’m a huge fan of risotto and really enjoy trying to make different versions of it. This weekend I decided to make a completely vegetarian version of it. Typically I make risotto using chicken stock because I have it on hand.
However, this time I had homemade vegetable stock in my refrigerator. I had made this stock earlier in the week from scraps of cauliflower, broccoli, and sweet potato. I simply diced all the bits up and simmered them for an hour. I drained stock into a container to use later. The cooked bits of veggie I pureed for another recipe.
Friday I pulled out the veggie stock (3 cups), diced onion and garlic, sliced shiitake mushrooms and diced zucchini. The risotto stars by sauteing the vegetables in the olive oil. Next butter is added to the pan to melt. Then the arborio rice is added and sauteed until the center of the rice is visible. At the same time the stock has to be heated. I typically do this in the microwave. When the center of the rice is showing, add 1 cup of the stock and cook until reduced. Add the rest of the stock 1 cup at a time. Make sure that you are patient and ensure that the stock is completely absorbed before you add more. Once all the stock is absorbed turn off the heat and add freshly grated parmesan cheese and stir.
The final product was really tasty. A nice blend of sweet and savory because the sweet potato in the stock added some sweetness to the risotto. I have another batch of veggie stock in the fridge that I can’t wait to try out to see what flavors in infuses the risotto with.