Reverse Risotto
Keith Pooler, chef/owner at Bergamot, shares his “cool trick” of blending cooked rice to make a thick sauce reminiscent of béchamel, a cream sauce made with flour. “This dish is very versatile. You can use squash, sweet potatoes, or turnips. You can switch out the mushrooms for other varieties. The…
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Keith Pooler, chef/owner at Bergamot, shares his “cool trick” of blending cooked rice to make a thick sauce reminiscent of béchamel, a cream sauce made with flour. “This dish is very versatile. You can use squash, sweet potatoes, or turnips. You can switch out the mushrooms for other varieties. The green beans could become Swiss chard, mustard greens, or even borlotti beans,” he says.
Ingredients
Confit garlic and green beans
- 18 large cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 Tbs. butter, divided
- 1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed
Mushrooms
- 1 lb. lobster, porcini, or shiitake mushrooms, sliced 3/8-inch thick
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh thyme
- 2 Tbs. finely chopped shallot
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
Risotto
- 1/4 cup Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 1 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. unsalted butter
- 1 small butternut squash or 1 large sweet potato, peeled and finely diced (1 lb.)
- 4 medium parsnips, peeled and finely diced (1 lb.)
- 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme
Preparation
1. To make Confit Garlic and Green Beans: Bring garlic and enough water to cover to a boil in saucepan. Remove from heat, and drain. Heat 1 Tbs. butter in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté 5 minutes, or until browned.
2. Blanch green beans in large pot of boiling, salted water 3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain, and plunge into ice water bath to stop cooking. Set aside.
3. To make Mushrooms: Preheat oven to 450ºF. Toss mushrooms with butter and thyme. Spread in 2 large baking dishes. Roast 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned. Stir in shallot and garlic.
4. To make Risotto: Place rice in saucepan, and cover with 3 inches water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 45 minutes, or until mushy. Drain; reserve cooking liquid.
5. Purée cooked rice with 1 1/2 cups cooking water until smooth. Keep warm.
6. Heat 1 Tbs. butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add butternut squash and parsnips, and sauté 10 minutes, or until beginning to brown. Add thyme, puréed rice, and more cooking liquid, if necessary. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until sauce is thickened. Stir in remaining 2 tsp. butter. Keep warm.
7. Sauté blanched green beans in remaining 1 Tbs. butter 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Remove from heat, and stir in Confit Garlic.
8. To serve: Spoon Risotto into center of 6 plates. Layer mushrooms and green beans over top. Drizzle balsamic vinegar around Risotto, if desired.
Nutrition Information
- Calories 280
- Carbohydrate Content 45 g
- Cholesterol Content 29 mg
- Fat Content 12 g
- Fiber Content 9 g
- Protein Content 5 g
- Saturated Fat Content 7 g
- Sodium Content 20 mg
- Sugar Content 9 g