Your mission is to stir...
I will always try to help you eat well and save money here at DC, whether it's through food trucks or hole-in-the-wall cheapo joints; but the first (and best) way to save money on food is to cook at home. Examine the cupboards and fridge and you'll probably find some items you forgot were there, like capers, which everyone has a jar of, or rice, in this case, arborio rice, which inspired me to make this risotto. Mushrooms were cheap at the market, with maybe one or two days left to use them, so I cooked them to caramelized blackness in my spun-steel pan, while I was preparing the risotto. I had some very rich broth left over from the previous day (see http://www.theartofhunger.com/ ), and I put that on another burner, with some roughly chopped mushrooms thrown in, to simmer; also boiling some water in case I ran out of broth. (The broth should be warm when it is added to the rice.) One cup of rice will probably need about three or four cups of broth.
Cut up an onion and saute in a 10" cast-iron skillet (not essential, it's just what I use) for about 7 minutes, don't brown. Set your timer for 20 minutes. Add the rice, salt and pepper to taste, and saute for about 5 minutes until all grains are coated and a little colored-pay attention, keep stirring. Add a 1/4 cup white wine (the one you're drinking's okay), stir until it's gone, then start ladling in the hot broth. Start with a cup-keep stirring, until it is absorbed. Then add a 1/2 cup, same thing. Keep adding a little broth at a time maybe a 1/4 cup, and keep stirring-wait for the broth to be fully absorbed before adding more. If you run out of broth, add hot water. Check for doneness, and don't be afraid to take it off the burner when it is al dente-this is not a boiled-rice dish, and the rice grains are done when they are still chewy. The timer should have gone off by now. This is the magic moment-pour in the mushrooms, stir to coat, top with a little truffle oil if you've got some lying around (and who doesn't?). If you have some cheese, grate some into a bowl and pass it around. You can also finish the risotto with some butter (gasp!).
Moral of the story-don't be afraid of making risotto, it's just rice you stir. And it's inexpensive. Total cost under $5 for two. Any suggestions for other risottos? Inexpensive yet luxurious dishes you can make at home? Thank you!
Keep stirring-don't let your internet-style short attention-span distract you...
Bring the pan to the table to keep the risotto hot-don't cover...
Mood lighting helps...
Serving Suggestion-Put a couple of thin slices of mushroom in the toaster oven to toast, and serve alongside the creamy risotto...