Puréed parsley risotto with mushrooms
Parsley is one of the most underrated herbs in the kitchen, clean, simple flavour, and a purée that turns a risotto vivid green. Mushrooms bring the meat.
One of Isaac’s favourite herbs, given the lead role: the stalks and leaves are blanched, shocked, and blended into a vivid purée that’s stirred through at the end with cold butter and Parmesan. Mushrooms, raw or briefly fried, bring the earthy, meaty texture that holds it all down.
First published on Isaac’s Substack, subscribe there for the recipes that never make it to the site.
Method
- 01
For the purée: blanch the parsley stalks in salted boiling water for 5 minutes, then add the leaves for 30 seconds. Transfer to iced water, drain thoroughly, and squeeze dry in a kitchen towel.
- 02
Blend the parsley with the olive oil until completely smooth, adjusting the oil as needed.
- 03
For the risotto: heat olive oil and a knob of the butter in a large pan over low-medium heat. Cook the shallots for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent.
- 04
Add the rice and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes on low heat.
- 05
Increase the heat to high, pour in the wine, and let it reduce.
- 06
Gradually add the hot stock one ladle at a time, cooking for around 18 minutes until the rice is al dente, 22 minutes total at most.
- 07
Remove from the heat and stir in the mushrooms (raw, or briefly fried), the remaining cold butter, the Parmesan, and the parsley purée. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
The kit for this recipe.
Only what the method actually calls for, nothing padded in for the sake of a link.
Vitamix Ascent A2500
The purée is the whole point, it has to be completely smooth, and a proper blender is what gets parsley there.
Le Creuset Signature 28cm Skillet
Risotto wants a wide, heavy pan that holds steady heat through 18 minutes of ladling.
Microplane Classic Zester
100g of Parmesan, grated fine enough to disappear into the rice.
Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g
Season at the end, in flakes you can control.