Ingredients

• 3/4 cup onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1-1/2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigianino reggiano cheese

Preparation

1. Mince onion and thyme leaves.
2. Add broth to a large pot, cover and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and keep covered after it boils. Set aside.
3. White the broth is heating up, in a second large pot heat one tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and cook on low heat until soft and translucent. Do not brown the onions.
4. Turn the heat up to medium. Add rice and cook until lightly toasted, 2-3 minutes, mixing to ensure the rice does not burn.
5. Add the wine and cook for a few minutes until most of the wine has evaporated.
6. Using a ladle, add half of the hot vegetable broth. Cover the pot containing the rice/broth mixture, leave on medium and cook for 10 minutes. Check occasionally to ensure the rice is not sputtering, if so lower the heat.
7. Add the mushrooms and remaining broth. Mix and cover for 10 minutes.
8. Take lid off the pot. Shut off the heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, thyme and Parmigianino cheese. Mix thoroughly and serve.

Helpful hints

• Be sure to use Arborio rice when making risotto; do not substitute with a different kind of rice. The dish is meant to be creamy and this particular variety of rice releases starch as it cooks which gives it a creamy texture.
• Look for low sodium broth. This recipe used a broth with 140mg of sodium per 1 cup.
• Reduce portion to 1/2 cup for a lower carbohydrate diet.