Gruyere Risotto with Marsala Mushrooms

As the holiday season approaches, I start to dream about what dishes to prepare and this will definitely be on one of my menus. Mushrooms always seem to be a love or hate type of food, but I encourage you to try these. The marsala wine adds a nice sweetness and the mushrooms pair nicely with nuttiness of the risotto. Serve this as a side dish with pan-seared filet mignon or salmon. For a meatless meal, serve this as an entree with a leafy green salad on the side.

1. Melt olive oil and butter in a saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add arborio rice and stir for 1 minute.

2. Add white wine and cook until absorbed. Add chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, and cook on low heat, stirring often, until the rice is cooked through (but not mushy).

3. Meanwhile, make your mushrooms: melt butter over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine and cook until absorbed. Finish with thyme, salt and pepper.

4. Add cheeses to the risotto and stir to combine. Finish with lemon juice and salt.

5. Scoop risotto onto serving plates and top with mushrooms. Garnish with more gruyere cheese, if desired.

Gruyere Risotto with Marsala Mushrooms

Serves 4 (as a main dish) or 6 (as a side dish)

All you need:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 small yellow onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup grated gruyere cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mushrooms –

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms

1/2 cup marsala wine

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch black pepper

All you do:

1. Melt olive oil and butter in a saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add arborio rice and stir for 1 minute.
2. Add white wine and cook until absorbed. Add chicken stock, 1/2 cup at a time, and cook on low heat, stirring often, until the rice is cooked through (but not mushy).
3. Meanwhile, make your mushrooms: melt butter over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add wine and cook until absorbed. Finish with thyme, salt and pepper.
4. Add cheeses to the risotto and stir to combine. Finish with lemon juice and salt.
5. Scoop risotto onto serving plates and top with mushrooms. Garnish with more gruyere cheese, if desired.