I love risotto. What I don’t love is constant stirring. Aside from being lazy, the probability of me actually being able to stand at the stove, stirring constantly, without a major disaster involving a permanent marker is slim to none. I just don’t live in the “all day in the kitchen by myself” world anymore.
The beauty of my Crock-Pot is that it’s the perfect environment for making risotto. Slow, constant, moist heat means that this little piece of cookware does all the work for me. So, one day I raided my refrigerator and took whatever I could find that would seem to make a tasty risotto and threw it together. This went so well that I have plans for other flavors to try. So, here is a great weekday side dish that requires very little work and is just the kind of food you can get started as homework is being done and it’s ready when the rest of your dinner is.
Slow Cooker Mushroom Leek Risotto (serves 6)
Ingredients:
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and sliced.
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
5 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 cups arborio rice
6 white button mushrooms, stems removed and cut into quarters or sixteenths if they are big
1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
What’s Next:
Place butter and olive oil in large 10″ skillet.
Just when butter is about halfway melted, add leeks. Keep heat on low to medium while cooking to soften the leeks without browning. About 10 minutes.
Add salt and herbes de Provence. Stir together.
When leeks are soft, add to slow cooker.
Add mushrooms, broth wine and rice to slow cooker. Stir to combine.
Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours.
Turn slow cooker off. Sprinkle cheese on top. Recover for 10 minutes so cheese can melt.
Notes from my experience:
This was great on the first night, but the leeks tasted a little bitter on the second night.
This recipe makes a lot and is best for a group and a one-time serving. On the second night it was more like glue.
