Risotto With Mushrooms Picked In A Graveyard and Cheese From the Orcs

How are those stomachs holding up, Dungeon Meshi Maniacs?  Did you have a happy Eat All The Foodsgiving?  Mine was fun what with all the hiking.  Of course the best part of the holiday are the leftovers!  You could either reheat what you have or combine and make new foods.  I don't know about you, DMMs, but I love a good turkey sandwich.  But we are a week out from the holiday so I'm sure you're ready for something new.  The palate does like to be challenged but how about we stay with something simple this week?  Most of us may still be logy from the holiday, after all.  Luckily the Dungeon Crew has our back.  Risotto, anyone?

  Once again, we are not eating monsters this week.  What the heck, manga?  Why all the "normal" foods all of the sudden?  In this case there's a great reason for it.  First, it starts with a little hostage situation.

The end of the 6th volume of a 14 volume series is the perfect time to introduce a new character, right?  Welcome to the party, Izutsumi!  All great characters are introduced while threatening to kill a main cast member.  Why take Marcille hostage?  Simple. She has a "collar" around her neck.

If she gets too far away from the person that put it on bad things happen, man!  Seeing that Marcille is a Black Magician Izutsumi reckons Marci could remove it.  Makes sense to me!  However, while Marcille works her...um...anti-magic, Izutsumi has another problem. She hasn't eaten in a few days.  Lucky for her, we have another kind of wizard.  A wizard in the kitchen! And we get one of the best shots in the whole series!

Straight up Senshi's tunic! It's the moment we've always dreamed about, DMMs!  Unfortunately for us, Senshi doesn't go commando.  Boo.  Some things are left up to the fanartist, I guess.  Oh well, guess we have to focus on the food.  Great thing Senshi could make Izutsumi plenty of things.  They have been murdering tons of different monsters.  There's only one problem.

How does she expect the man to work under these constraints!?  So that's why this week is a pretty basic dish, DMMs.  Do not look a gift risotto in the mouth, however!  This is a proud, filling meal.  One of the best comfort foods out there.  The best part?  It's SIMPLE!  Senshi makes his with nothing more than rice, wine, mushrooms, and cheese.  Ours won't be much more complicated.

Normally you'd use Arborio rice for risotto.  I don't have any on hand but I do have rice for Paella which is a perfect substitute.  I'm also using right under a pound of white mushrooms and a smaller bit of baby bellas.  Feel free to use whatever mushrooms you want.  Just make sure you slice them up nice and neat.

Beautiful!  Now you have to pan fry ALL the mushrooms.  Put about two tablespoons of olive oil into a pan over medium heat.  Once that's nice and shimmering add the mushrooms in one big heap.

Trust me, DMMs, these will cook down.  Just be careful stirring them.  You don't want to throw mushrooms all over your stove.  What you want to do is brown these mushrooms.  You know you're near the end when they start to sweat, though.  They'll reduce in size and get all juicy!

A once huge mountain of mushrooms is now a manageable size. Cooking is so cool.  They should also smell great by this point.  Once you're happy with what you see dump the mushrooms and the juices to a bowl and set them aside.  You'll be adding them back in later.  Now it's rice time!  Just like the mushrooms we are going to fry us up some rice.  Why? It kinda opens the rice up to absorb the liquid you're going to add and gives it a nice nuttier flavor.  Speaking of flavor, I'm also going to add a shallot to this risotto for some added twang.  You remember shallots, DMMs?  The fun little onion that looks like a tear but doesn't make me cry.

Reheat the pan with about a tablespoon of olive oil.  Give the shallot the CHOP and add it and roughly a cup of rice to the pan. It only takes about three minutes so be sure to keep stirring, DMMs.

They don't write enough songs about rice roasting over an open fire, DMMs, but they should.  It's such a great smell!  Now the rice is thirsty and dry so they need something wet.  To start we hit it with a half cup of vinegar for a nice tangy flavor.  You could also use white wine but I never had that on hand!  Now it's time for four cups of chicken broth.  But you won't be dumping it all in at once, DMMs.  No, you add one half cup at a time, stir and wait for it to be asborded.

This takes time, DMMs.  You have to keep a slow stir but it doesn't have to be boring.  You can use this time to ponder life's greatest mysteries.  I use it to think of songs that I like.  This time it was the old Shaker song Simple Gifts.  It must be the December in the air but it's a song that's been on my mind a lot recently.  This is simple cooking, after all.  And just like the song you just keep turning the rice until it comes round right.

Add half cup, stir and absorb until you're out of stock.  From start to finish this all should take 15 to 20 minutes.  Provided the law of physics continue to work in your kitchen that is.  I'm guessing they do so now you remove the bloated rice from the heat and all the mushrooms, cheese and about a fourth cup of butter.

For cheese I put in about a third cup of parmesan and a pinch of Asiago.  Any melty cheese would work.  Feel free to salt & pepper to taste.  Side thought, DMMs. Why does every recipe tell you to add salt & pepper to taste?  Making a pizza? Salt & pepper to taste. Eating a salad? Salt & pepper to taste.  Making a bowl of corn flakes? Salt & pepper to taste.  If every recipe calls for it then why say it? Are recipe writers afraid people will forget that they enjoy salt & pepper in their foods?  I digress.  Salt & pepper to taste, DMMs.  Always to taste.  Back to the pan!  Give is all a good stir until everything is melted and mixed.

Absolutely dynamite, DMMs! This is at the top of my Comfort Food list.  It never fails to warm me up and help me clear my head.  If you've never made risotto I really urge you to give it a try.  Trust me, if a weird slime like me can do you any one can! That's it for this week, DMMs.  Be sure to enjoy hot cheese rice and mushrooms.  And to come back next week because I'm going to talk about something important yet controversial. Table manners!