Fall Vegetable Risotto

The addition of celery root with the mushrooms gives this risotto extra layers of flavour. If celery root is unavailable substitute fennel.

Ingredients

Vegetables

• ½ cup peeled and chopped celery root, 
• cut into ¼-inch dice
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups oyster mushrooms, torn into strips
• ¾ cup chopped zucchini, cut into ¼-inch dice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Risotto

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• 2 tbsp coarsely chopped celery leaves
• 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp chopped parsley

 Method

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add celery root and boil for 5 minutes or until crisp tender. Drain and reserve celery root.

Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they begin to soften, about one minute. Add reserved celery root and zucchini and cook for 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Reserve in skillet.

Bring the stock to a simmer in a separate pot.

Add 2 tbsp butter and olive oil to a large pot on medium heat. Stir in onion and celery leaves and cook until onion becomes soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice, stirring quickly and thoroughly until the grains are well coated.

Stir in ½ cup chicken stock, and cook, stirring, until the liquid is cooked down to the level of the rice. Add another ½ cup of stock and continue to cook the risotto, stirring every few minutes. Continue adding stock and stirring until rice still has a bit of bite in the centre, about 20 minutes.

Add reserved vegetables and a small amount of stock and continue to cook until the rice is tender but firm to the bite. There should be a little liquid left to act as a sauce.

Off the heat, add remaining 1 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp of the Parmesan and all of the parsley and stir thoroughly. Taste and correct for salt. Transfer to a platter, sprinkling with remaining Parmesan. Serve immediately.