Mushroom 222 Risotto

I'm pretty sure i was absent the day they taught fractions. I'm just saying. So, when the clever (in my estimation anyway) title for this post came to me I began the quest for a good mushroom risotto recipe, that serves three. I have cookbook dedicated just to risotto and began my education there. But I quickly found myself going to the internet and I found an appealing concoction there as well at allrecipes.com. I like that site because it will automatically adjust the ingredient amounts according to your serving size - no math involved. One can also choose between metric and US measurement -  and you all know my feelings on the metric system (see A Chocolate Chip in the Metric System). Had we actually converted when I was in school I would surely have dropped out. But cooler heads prevailed. The recipe that follows is  a perfect combo of book smarts and street smarts as I took the basic concept and applied what I had previously learned. The most difficult part is the constant stirring for 20-30ish minutes, making sure all of the broth is absorbed before adding more, slowly releasing the starch in the rice - it's science, and that's as much as I can say on the gray matter. The result was a rich, savory and most importantly, creamy dish. An A+.

Room 222, 1969-1974's Utopian Los Angeles high school (Walt Whitman High) where all races and classes melded together in a groovy style.Head of the class was Pete Dixon, the laid back American History teacher. Along with his girlfriend and guidance counselor Liz McIntyre, plucky student teacher Alice Johnson (who will always be my Karen Valentine)  and the affable principal Seymour Kaufman they confronted the teenage angst of the cast of regulars Bernie and Jason and occasionally mixed in some common core issues of the day such as race relations, Watergate and women's rights. The show spent it's first two seasons going no where on Wednesdays before the network moved it to the juggernaut Saturday line up of  The Brady Bunch, The Partridge Family, The Odd Couple and Love American Style (talk about must see TV) and  they began steady average yearly progress in the ratings. But high school always has to end, even on TV and our beloved cast graduated into perpetual youth in syndication. 

The Recipe:

6 cups chicken broth 

16 ounces white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine

2 cups arborio rice

Olive oil 

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

In a saucepan, heat the broth to a simmer.Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a 12 inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan, and add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, add wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add a ladle full or less of  broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth in small amounts, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes, give or take. Possibly more. Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Serves 6 (I did the doubling for you. No need to thank me, thank a teacher)