Jottage from Cambridge: Mushroom Risoniotto

Strangely enough we have also just tried the Mushroom Risonitto. Well actually I just did the eating as my husband decided that he would do the cooking while I took a break from the kitchen. Tristan watched Theo cut up the mushrooms and measure out all the various ingredients from his high chair – I think Theo thought he had eaten a raw mushroom but I found it later stuck under the washing machine. I had bought button mushrooms and chestnut mushrooms, and we happened to have a selection of dry mushrooms too. I had just been to Tesco and bought a few of those handy cartons of white wine so we didn’t need to open a bottle.

I adore mushrooms, but goodness this dish was almost too mushroomy even for me! The orzo didn’t stick together thankfully, and the dish was deliciously creamy. However I’m not sure I would make it again or, if I did, I would use fewer chestnut mushrooms. I hadn’t realised that button mushrooms have pretty much no taste at all – a bit like cheap tomatoes which aren’t cut from the vine. You seem to pay extra for flavour these days which is a bit depressing. Sainsbury's use the label 'Taste the Difference' on their premium products which perhaps does hint at the fact that, unless you're willing to dig that bit deeper into your pockets, what you're buying really won't taste of much at all.

Jottage from Lancaster - Mushroom Risoniotto

I was quite excited about trying this as I had 'discovered' the tiny 'orzo' or 'risoni' rice on one of our trips to Waitrose at Sandbach. Going to a new supermarket always entails new discoveries - it's so easy to sashay past whole aisles in Tesco Carnforth convinced that there is nothing down there that I might like but if I have the time I like to browse a supermarket - rather as in the olden days (almost) you could browse a bookshop to find something of interest you hadn't come across before. I thought that risoni looked interesting and exotic and it would make a good alternative to rice - and cook in super-quick time. So when I saw the mushroom risionoto recipe in Veg Everyday I had to give it a go - and not just because it had quite a catchy name.


In honour of this venture into new territory, I bought a pack of Chestnut Mushrooms. Now to most people I would imagine that this is as much in their comfort zones as baked beans or a tin of chopped tomatoes with basil, but for me it was quite adventurous. Anyway, I cooked, fried, stirred it all up and added the wine and the cream (usefully languishing in the fridge waiting for their moment). All was going well - but I was a bit surprised when the risoni came out in one splodgy lump - rather like rice when it isn't cooked quite right. Separating it out into neat fluffy grains was all but impossible but I did my best.  I added it to the mushrooms in the pan and Lo! I had mushroom risonioto!

The recipe says it's enough for 2, but I think it would do 3. It has quite a delicate taste but the balsamic vinegar gives it a great little kick. Overall one to try again I think.