Rich and delicious, and not terribly fussy (just make sure you have a glass of wine at hand when you are stirring the rice).

Ingredients

For the leeks

  • 2 or 3 leeks (trim off the tough, dark green leaves, cut them in half lengthwise, then chop thinly and soak in cold water, rinsing several times to remove all the sand)
  • 3/4 c. of half and half

For the mushrooms

  • 1 pound of mushrooms torn into chunks
  • 1 onion
  • 1/4 c. butter
  • 1 tbsp. truffle oil
  • 1 tsp. dried thyme leaves

For the rice

  • 4 tbs. sweet butter
  • 1 onion
  • 1 1/2 c. Arborio rice
  • 1/2 c. white wine
  • 5 cups (or more) of hot chicken broth
  • 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • Chopped flat leaf parsley to garnish

Guidelines

  • Bring the leeks and cream to boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the leeks are tender and the cream has thickened (about 15 minutes). Season with salt and pepper
  • Preheat oven to 400
  • Bring broth to a simmer in a sauce pan
  • Toss the mushrooms, one chopped onion, 1/4 c. butter, truffle oil and thyme leaves on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are brown
  • While the mushrooms are cooking, melt 2 tbs. of butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat
  • Add chopped 1 chopped onion and stir until soft (about 5 minutes)
  • Add rice and stir 1 minute until rice is coated with butter
  • Add wine to the rice and stir until it is absorbed (about 1 minute)
  • Add hot broth one cup at a time to the rice and stir until absorbed. Repeat, 1 cup at a time, making sure the broth is absorbed before adding another cup.
  • Stir almost constantly (sipping wine!) until rice is tender and mixture is creamy (about 20 minutes)
  • Stir in leeks, mushrooms, 2 tbs. of butter and parmesan cheese and mix
  • Garnish with chopped parsley before serving