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1 tbsp butter, or olive oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced, or 1 tbsp bottled chopped garlic
250-g pkg sliced button mushrooms, or about 4 cups
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
3 plum tomatoes
2 green onions
1 1/2 cups uncooked orzo
284-mL can undiluted chicken broth
1 cup water
1 cup grated asiago or parmesan
Melt butter in a large saucepan set over medium-high heat. When bubbly, add onion. Stir often just until onion begins to soften, from 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms. Sprinkle in salt and 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) thyme. Stir often until mushrooms are golden-tinged, from 3 to 4 minutes. Meanwhile, coarsely chop tomatoes and thinly slice green onions. Set green onions aside. Stir in tomatoes with any juice and seeds and orzo. Then pour in chicken broth.
Using a wooden spoon, scrape up and stir in any brown bits from pan bottom into sauce for added flavour. Stir constantly until orzo absorbs most of liquid in pan, about 5 minutes. Add water and stir often until most of liquid is absorbed, from 4 to 5 minutes. Mixture should look a little soupy.
Remove from heat and stir in cheese and green onions until cheese has melted, about 1 minute. Taste and stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) thyme, if needed. Ladle risotto into warm soup bowls and serve immediately with a leafy green salad and thick slices of fresh focaccia or pumpernickel.
Calories 286, Protein 12.8g, Carbohydrates 38.6g, Fat 9g, Fibre 3.4g, Sodium 689mg.
While we love a bowlful of creamy steamy risotto heavenly scented with mushrooms, we don't like the long cooking time. Orzo is a smart substitute. It looks like rice, but cooks in half the time.