Vegan Recipes
Mushroom and Leak Risotto
Contributors: Drs. Olivia and Matt Brooks
From Hot for Food Vegan Comfort Classics: 101 Recipes to Feed Your Face by Lauren Toyota
Makes 4 – 6 servings
Ingredients
3 vegan chicken-flavoured bouillon cubes dissolved in 6 C hot water or 6 C low-sodium vegetable stock
1 leek, halved and sliced thin
2 T vegan butter
8 ounces button mushrooms (~2 heaping cups)
¼ t sea salt
¼ t ground pepper
2 T finely chopped sundried tomatoes
2 C Arborio rice
1 C dry white wine
½ C The Parm, plus more for garnish
¼ C packed basil leaves, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
1 T freshly squeeze lemon juice
1 thinly sliced green onion (green parts only) for garnish
Method
It’s important that the stock for cooking the rice be hot, so heat it in a saucepan and have it ready to be ladled into the risotto as you go.
- In a stockpot over medium heat, sauté the leek in the butter for 2-3 minutes until just softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the salt and pepper and continue cooking for about 4 minutes.
- Stir in the sundried tomatoes and rice. Stir constantly for 3-4 minutes to release the starch in the rice. Add the white wine and simmer, stirring constantly for 3-4 minutes until most of the wine is absorbed.
- Add ¼ C of The Parm (see below for recipe) and stir until combined into the rice mixture. Add 1 C of the stock and stir constantly until mostly absorbed.
- Add another ¼ C of The Parm and another 1 C of the stock. Continue stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed. Add 3 C of the stock, 1 C at a time, stirring constantly after each addition until the liquid is absorbed.
- Stir in the ¼ C basil and the remaining 1 C stock and stir constantly until the liquid is absorbed. At this point, check your risotto. It shouldn’t be too mushy, and the rice should have a bit of a bite but still be tender. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice.
- Serve immediately with more of The Parm sprinkled on top. Garnish with the green onion or more fresh basil. Season with ground pepper.
* For nut-free folk, fold in ¼ C nutritional yeast instead of using The Parm or use a vegan parmesan product instead.
The Parm
Makes about ¾ C
Ingredients
⅔ C raw cashews, almonds, or pistachios
¼ C nutritional yeast
1 t sea salt
Method
- Combine all the ingredients together in a food processor and process until a fine crumb or meal is formed.
- Store in a jar or container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.