That's Amore...no, that's Risotto

First installment of the Cookbook Project comes from the September 2007 issue of Bon Appetite magazine, a recipe that they got from a restaurant in Portland, Oregon called Le Pigeon. The “Risotto with Leeks, Shittake Mushrooms and Truffles” looked rich and delicious. My version is a bit lighter in the calories and in the grocery bill.
The first step was to reduce the recipe from feeding 6-8 people, to feeding just one or two. Want to know the trick? It’s called a Conversion Factor. When you divide the number of servings it makes by the number of servings you want to make. You then multiply all of your ingredients by this number and it will give you the amounts necessary for the alteration. (Note: convert all fractions to decimals. Save the headache.)
This recipe is very simple and the prep is almost nil. Each component is prepared separately and then combined into the risotto at the end. So we’ll begin with the leeks and go from there.

Mushroom & Leek Risotto
Adapted from Bon Appetite Sept. 2007
Serves 2 dinner sized, 4 first-course sized

Leeks*
1 large leek (only the bottom part), split lengthwise, chopped small
½ cup of whipping cream

Mushrooms
4-5 ozs gourmet or stir-fry mushroom mix, sliced
¼ large onion, chopped small
1 tbsp. Butter, melted
1 tbsp. White truffle oil
1 tsp. Fresh thyme leaves

Risotto
2 tbsp. Butter, divided
¼ large onion, minced
½ cup Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine (I used a Voigner)
2 cups hot vegetable broth (use the broth, not the stock)
¼ cup fresh grated Parmesan (yes, buy a chunk and grate it.)
fresh parsley, chopped fine (for garnish)

Equipment
1 wide shallow saucepan
1 small/med saucepan
1 small sheet pan

Leeks: Put the leeks and whipping cream in a saucepan and bring them to a boil. Watch it carefully, dairy is quick to boil over. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until leeks are tender.

Mushrooms: Heat oven to 400. Combine all ingredients on the sheet pan and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven until the mushrooms are tender and brown on the edges

Risotto: Melt 1 tbsp. Butter in wide shallow saucepan. Add onions and cook on medium-low until soft (Note: keep the heat down. You want to sweat/soften the onions, not sauté, so no browning!) Add the rice and stir for a minute. Add wine and stir until the liquid is almost absorbed. Add ½ cup of the hot broth and stir until this is almost absorbed. Add another ½ cup, stirring frequently. DO NOT TURN YOUR BACK ON THE RISOTTO! I mean it, if it burns, there’s no saving it. You’ll have to trash it and start over. Keep adding broth and stirring until rice is tender and creamy. (no, I won’t tell you how long, you just have to stir and watch) Add in the leeks and cream and then mushroom mixture, stirring frequently. Once fully combined, add 1 tbsp of butter, Parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of the white truffle oil. Once butter and cheese are melted, remove to a serving bowl and sprinkle with parsley.

Cook’s Notes: This is not a dish to make with everyone all mucking about in the kitchen. Run everyone out so you can concentrate. The leeks and mushrooms can be prepared in advance, just make sure they are warm when they go in the risotto. Vegetable broth has salt in it, so be easy with the salt when you season.

*Clean the Leeks: Leeks are notorious for holding dirt in their layers. Cut off the top parts, split and chop the bottoms. Fill your sink with water and dump the cut leeks into the water. Agitate a bit and then leave them alone for a bit. The dirt will settle to the bottom. Scoop out the leeks and clean your sink.

Low-Fat Notes: If you are worried about the butter, substitute your favorite impostor for the mushrooms and the initial sweat of the onions in the risotto and save the butter for the end.