Creamy Mushroom Risotto

1. Place a saucepan on medium flame, pour chicken broth and bring it to simmer. Then reduce the heat to lowest.
2. Meanwhile, in a large pot heat oil and sauté onion for about 5 minutes or until translucent.
3. Add thyme, 1 tbsp of butter, bay leaf, garlic and mushrooms in the pot and cook until the mushrooms are soft and golden in color, about 5 minutes.
4. Season the mushroom mix with salt and pepper, stir and remove from the pot.
5. In the same pot, melt the remaining butter and add the Arborio rice. Stir quickly and frequently or it will begin to stick to the sides of the pan.
6. After 2 minutes or when the rice is coated with butter and has a toasty smell to it, add white vinegar and cook until the vinegar has mostly absorbed and reduced in quantity.
7. Remove the chicken broth from the stove and pour 1 cup of it into the rice. Stir and cook until most of the broth has been absorbed by the rice. Then add 1 more cup, stir and cook, let it absorb and then add another cup of the broth. Repeat until the rice is soft and creamy but not mushy. You might not need all of the broth.
8. When the rice is ready, add mushroom mix into and toss well.
9. Garnish the Creamy Mushroom Risotto with parmesan, peas, and parsley and serve hot or warm.

Trivia:

• The Arborio rice used in Risotto actually contains lots of starch and this is one of the reasons why it end up being so creamy after cooking.

According to a legend, it was the master glassmaker Valerius who invented risotto in 1574.