Mushroom Risotto with Caramelised Onions | Easy Entertaining

Risotto is a dish that has always sounded amazing, but one that I have never eaten or made. Then one day, a bag of Tastic Risotto Rice just called me from the shelves at Pick 'n Pay, and I decided the time had come - to stir...and stir and stir. I did a fair bit of Googling to find the perfect recipe for my maiden risotto voyage, and this one seemed perfect - in my mind risotto is mainly a meatless dish, and that combined with the Woolworths 2-mushroom punnets-for-R30 special, and my love for caramelised onions made this recipe the obvious winner. This is for me, posher comfort food, but still served in a bowl with a fork under the duvet. This serves 2 happily (with leftovers!)

Ingredients: 

2 large onions

2 tbsp sugar

4 tbsp butter (divided in 2) 

2 tsp crushed garlic

450g mushrooms of your choice (I used a mixture of exotic and portebellini)

1 large sprig fresh rosemary, leaves removed and finely chopped

1 cup uncooked risotto rice

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3.5 cups vegetable stock

1 tsp salt

Method:

Chop one onion finely. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook over medium-low for about 8 minutes. Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning. 

Turn the heat up to medium-high. Add all the sliced mushrooms to pot and let them cook for 5-10 minutes. 

  

Add the rosemary sprig and seasonings to the pot. Stir well. Cook for a couple minutes. Now add in the rice, balsamic vinegar, and vegetable broth gradually as it cooks - about 125ml at a time. You may have to adjust the amount of liquid used depending on the type of grain used. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and stir every few minutes, reducing the heat when necessary to prevent it sticking to the bottom. Be careful because it will burn fast.

Meanwhile, make the caramelized onions. Heat 2 tbsp butter in a non stick pan. Slice the remaining onion into rings, add them to the butter. Fry until slightly softened. Add 2 tbsp sugar and 100ml water. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the water has evaporated and onions turn a dark brown, for about 30 minutes. 

When risotto is done, season to taste, scoop generously into bowls and top with caramelised onions, and pour over some cream if you feel extra needy....