Mushroom & Red Lentil Risotto
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Mushroom & Red Lentil Risotto
Rated 3.5 stars by 2 users
Category
Savoury
Cuisine
Meditterranean
Author:
OMGhee
Servings
4
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
497
We love reimagining the classics at OMGhee - so here’s everything you love about a creamy, comforting mushroom risotto with flavour and nutrition dialled up with the addition of ghee, lentils and a little spice.
The mushrooms are quickly sautéed in ghee to give them golden edges and a rich flavour. Then we use a little more ghee (of course!) and spice to coat the rice and lentils to create another layer of flavour. Why did we add lentils? For added protein, minerals, fibre and texture – and to keep you feeling fuller for longer.
Another cheeky twist?
We’ve popped in a little turmeric to echo the golden hue of the ghee, and plenty of freshly ground black pepper for some lovely warmth. It just so happens that our bodies need fat and an ingredient called piperine found in black pepper to absorb and utilise the health benefits of turmeric. So OMGhee + turmeric + black pepper = a natural win – and of course, it tastes fabulous too!
Serve in deep bowls with a simple shredded cabbage salad on the side.
Ingredients
-
2 generous tablespoons of OMGhee
- 500g white or swiss brown button mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided
- 1 leek, washed well and thinly sliced
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ cup (105g) split red lentils, rinsed (and soaked in cold water for a few hours if you have time)
- ¾ cup (175g) arborio or medium grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 litre (4 cups) hot vegetable stock- it’s fine to use stock powder or a stock cube mixed with hot water
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- Large handful fresh herbs of your choice, roughly chopped - thyme, parsley or rosemary all work well
- 1 cup (85g) freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Handful of nuts, toasted and roughly chopped - use any nuts you have on hand, we used flaked almonds
OPTIONAL (but Delicious!)
Directions
Start by cooking your mushrooms. Over medium-high heat, add 1 generous tablespoon of OMGhee to a large nonstick frying pan or shallow Dutch oven that has a lid. Once the ghee has melted, add all the sliced mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt, and turn the heat to high. Stir, then leave alone for 30-60 seconds or so before stirring again - this helps to create golden, crisp-around-the-edges mushrooms (whereas stirring all the time can make them soggy). Continue with the stir-rest method for a few minutes until the mushrooms are golden and a piece you test tastes delicious.
- Turn the heat to low, stir in 2 of the chopped garlic cloves, a good grinding of black pepper, and more salt if needed.
- Cook for another minute and scoop the mushrooms into a bowl.
To make the risotto, reheat the same pan over low-medium heat with the second generous tablespoon of OMGhee (no need to wash the pan). When the ghee has melted, add the leek and a good pinch of salt. Cover and cook until the leek is soft, about 3-5 minutes. Add the rest of the garlic and the turmeric, stir for a minute until fragrant.
- Turn the heat up to medium, add the drained lentils and rice, stirring well to coat them in all the ghee and spice goodness for a couple of minutes, then add 1 cup of the hot stock. Stir well, keeping the mixture just simmering until the stock is absorbed - this first cup of stock will disappear quickly.
- Add another cup of stock, stir well, cover the pan and cook for about 5 minutes (no stirring needed!), until the second cup of stock is absorbed. Continue this with the third and fourth cups of stock. Taste the rice and lentils, which should be almost tender. If they still need a little more cooking, add another ½-1 cup of water or stock at a time, until cooked to your liking, and you have a loose, creamy risotto.
- Add the cooked mushrooms and stir to reheat them. Turn off the heat, add half the fresh herbs and grated parmesan (if using), plenty of ground black pepper, and a good squeeze of lemon. Cover to rest for another minute and then taste, adding more salt, pepper or lemon juice to suit your taste.
- Serve scattered with the optional toasted nuts and the remaining parmesan and herbs.
Recipe Note
Mushroom & Red Lentil Risotto will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, stovetop or steam oven, adding extra water or stock to loosen the mixture.
If you love ‘cooking once, eating twice’, use the second half of the risotto to make fritters (yum!). The next day, stir a couple of tablespoons of flour, a beaten egg and extra seasoning through the cold risotto, form into fritters and fry in OMGhee until crunchy. 😊
The parmesan adds extra flavour, protein and calcium, but the risotto is still tasty without it. You could add a handful of nutritional yeast instead if you’re avoiding dairy.
The nuts add extra crunch, which is a really nice contrast to the creamy risotto.
