NuM NuM

I made this meal one winter night for me and the lobster. Although risotto does take a lot of time, the end result is absolutely delicious. I found this photo and recipe on cooking light's website and you would never know it's a "light" recipe. Although it is a bit heavy to eat on its own, you should eat it with a nice grilled halibut or any other type of white fish. I substituted the sherry wine for white wine, bought pre-sliced shiitake mushrooms and added a bit of parmesan cheese in the end and it was fabulous.

Wild mushroom risotto - 8 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup) – 255 cal
**Please refer to my Risotto 101 tips before making this dish

· 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
· 1/2 cup boiling water
· 1 1/2 cups water
· 2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans vegetable broth
· 2 teaspoons olive oil
· 2 garlic cloves, minced
· 2 1/2 cups sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 6 ounces)
· 2 teaspoons dried thyme
· 1/2 teaspoon salt
· 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
· 1 pound uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice (about 2 1/2 cups)
· 1/2 cup dry sherry

Combine porcini mushrooms and 1/2 cup boiling water in a bowl. Cover and let stand 15 minutes or until tender. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid.
Combine reserved liquid, 1 1/2 cups water, and broth in a medium saucepan (reserve 1 cup of broth mixture if making ahead). Bring remaining broth mixture to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add shiitake mushrooms, and sauté 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in porcini mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of the mixture is almost absorbed before adding the next (about 20 minutes total). Taste the risotto. If it is still chewy, continue stirring, adding more broth, and tasting until you have reached your desired consistency. This could take another twenty minutes. When the risotto is almost finished stir in the sherry, and cook for 2 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Serve immediately.