Baby Shiitake Mushroom Risotto
Topped with sautéed mushrooms, this creamy and delicious risotto is a favorite here at the farm.
Ingredients:
1½ cups Arborio rice
4 cups chicken stock
½ cup white wine (if desired)
½ finely chopped onions or shallots
1-2 tablespoons chopped garlic (if desired)
8 tablespoons butter or olive oil (can use a mixture)
¼ cup grated Grana cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 cups baby Shiitake mushrooms, sautéed in butter
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Method:
1. In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil and then turn down to a simmer to keep hot.
2. In another large saucepan over medium low heat, melt 4-5 tablespoons of butter and cook the onions until soft but not brown. Add garlic and continue cooking for about 2 minutes. Turn the heat up and add the Arborio rice, stir for about one minute. Add a ladleful of stock to the rice and continue stirring until almost absorbed.
3. Add another ladleful of stock and the wine (if using) and continue stirring. Repeat until all the stock is gone and the rice is creamy and tender.
4. Stir in the remaining butter and grated Grana until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a generous helping of sautéed mushrooms to each portion of risotto, and sprinkle with fresh parsley and a grating of Grana-style cheese before serving.
Variation: Give this risotto a springtime twist by adding coarsely-chopped pea shoots, blanched peas and crispy pancetta as well!
Cozy Up Recipes
February continues to chill the bones, so warm yourself body and soul this week with a pasta night starring locally-crafted bucatini pasta kissed with earthy Shiitake mushrooms and homegrown Swiss chard, as well as our signature garlic confit and Grana-style cheese. Also included in this cozy and comforting box: Fresh Challah bread, seasonal favorites such as Seckel pears and Cara Cara oranges, and two snacks fit for Oscar night—certified-organic black popcorn and chocolate coated almonds.
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Bucatini Pasta with Sautéed Red Swiss Chard & Shiitake Mushrooms
Finished with garlic confit and a grating of Grana-style cheese, this wintery pasta is incredibly cozy and satisfying.
Challah Bread French Toast
This lovely and light French toast is wonderful topped with maple syrup, confectioners’ sugar or Cara Cara orange compote (see recipe!).
Cara Cara Orange Compote
Tart, sweet and lively with bright citrus flavor, this compote is excellent on French toast.
Roasted Acorn Squash with Grana Cheese
This versatile recipe works with any number of squash—Butternut, Delicata, Acorn or Sweet Dumpling.
Slow-Roasted Ginger-Lime Carrots
These flavorful carrots from Jennifer Perillo’s Homemade with Love cookbook are wonderful served hot, at room temperature and even cold.
Whole-Poached Seckel Pears
These petite little pears are the perfect sweet bite, poached in just a little sugar and cinnamon.
Bucatini Pasta with Sautéed Red Swiss Chard & Shiitake Mushrooms
Finished with garlic confit and a grating of Grana-style cheese, this wintery pasta is incredibly cozy and satisfying.
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh bucatini pasta, or other fresh pasta of your choice
2 cups Shiitake mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
1 bunch red Swiss chard, leaves separated from tough stems and coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter, divided
¼ cup F&L garlic confit
¼ cup Grana-style cheese, grated
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, then add the pasta. Cook until the bucatini is al dente, about 5-6 minutes. Reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in the skillet. Once warm, add the mushrooms and Swiss chard, tossing to coat with oil and butter. Season with salt and pepper, then cover and sweat until mushrooms are tender and Swiss chard is just wilted, about 4-5 minutes.
3. Add drained pasta to the skillet with the vegetables, then toss everything together with the rest of the olive oil, butter and garlic confit. (If pasta seems a little dry, mix in reserved pasta water.) Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve with a healthy grating of Grana-style cheese and enjoy!
Italian Summer Recipes
The Italian summer calls to mind visions of a crisp glass of wine, homemade pasta and garden-fresh produce simply and beautifully prepared. Hence, this week’s box captures the flavors of summer by way of Italy with locally-crafted bucatini pasta to toss with baby Shiitake mushrooms, plus fresh sourdough bread and a bevy of beautiful salad greens and ingredients like beets, spring onions, green beans and sugar snap peas. Also included for this relaxed, refreshing meal: Even more summer berries, this time the first of the blueberries and then super-sweet cherries. Mangia!
Here are a few recipe ideas for the week:
Bucatini Pasta with Sautéed Baby Shiitake Mushrooms
Also tossed with sweet onions and a topping of Grana-style cheese, this pasta is incredibly satisfying.
Pea Shoot Salad with Radishes & Hazelnuts
This stellar salad from Food & Wine is beautifully balanced with peppery greens and radishes and sweet pea shoots.
Garlic & Ginger Green Beans
This zingy preparation will soon be a new favorite.
Quick-Pickled Sweet Onions
These snappy little onions are fantastic served on sandwiches and salads.
Anise Hyssop Lemonade
Sweetened with an anise hyssop simple syrup, this lemonade is incredibly fragrant.
