Oyster Mushroom Risotto with Shaved Asparagus Salad

The oyster mushrooms from the Back To The Roots kit I got for Mother’s Day (read my review here) had given me about half a pound of oyster mushrooms this first time. I was really glad it worked and wanted to make something that would really showcase the mushroom’s flavor. I had leftover rice so a risotto seemed to be exactly what I was looking for! I paired it with a citrus based asparagus salad (since my asparagus bed has been sending up quite a few huge fleshy fingers), the tanginess cutting through the richness of the risotto.

A note on oyster mushrooms I found is when they’re this fresh, they give off a sort of sickly sweet smell that goes away once cooked. I was a little put off by it at the beginning but am so glad I stuck to trying it despite my original misgivings.

Ingredients for Risotto

• 1.5 cups cooked white rice (a medium-short grain or arborio will work fine)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped oyster mushrooms
• 3 cups milk
• 1 chicken bouillon
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Sautee chopped onion and minced garlic in butter over medium high heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add oyster mushrooms and sautee for an additional minute.
2. Add cooked white rice, milk, chicken bouillon, stir and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed. Make sure you stir often to prevent the bottom from burning.
3. Add salt and pepper at the end to taste. You can add some parmesan cheese as well.

Ingredients for Shaved Asparagus Salad

• 2 – 3 sprigs fresh raw asparagus, shaved or sliced thin diagonally
• 2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
• 1/2 tomato, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Combined all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. Chill for 10 minutes and serve on top of risotto.