Mushroom Risotto

Makes about 4 servings

Ingredients
1 carton or 4 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
2 tbs butter
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/4 of a white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used button cremini mushrooms), plus a bit more to garnish.
Salt
Pepper
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, shredded
Chiffonade parsley, to garnish

1. Bring the vegetable stock up to a boil in a pot. Turn the heat off when it boils.

2. In a medium-sized pot over high heat, melt the butter. Add the olive oil, and then cook the onions and garlic for about 2 minutes.

3. Add the mushrooms, but reserve about 3-4 sliced mushrooms to cook separately later. Set aside those mushrooms.

4. Season the mushrooms/onions/garlic with salt and pepper, then add the arborio rice. Stir, and then reduce the heat to medium low. Add the white wine to deglaze the bottom of the pan.

5. Using a ladle, add the stock to the arborio rice mix. Stir occasionally, until the rice absorbs the liquid. Add another ladle of the stock and stir - repeat this step until the rice has cooked. You may add water if you run out of stock.

6. The mixture should look a bit watery - the rice shouldn’t look dry. Fold in the mascarpone cheese until incorporated. Turn the heat off, and then fold in the Grana Padano or Parmigiano cheese. Set aside.

7. Cook the remainder of the sliced mushrooms with olive oil, salt and pepper on a pan.

8. To plate: Scoop the risotto on a plate. Add the mushrooms on top, then garnish with parsley.