Edamame and Mushroom Risotto

I don't know how I've fallen so far behind in my posting. Yesterday was a harried day, and I wasn't up for anything other than vegging out on the couch while I stuck the boy in front of the TV in our toy room. I know, not my best parenting, but his behavior was horrid, and I just couldn't deal with him. It was my friend Jen A's birthday yesterday, and we had a birthday lunch party for her here, so my house was cleaned for that, so I felt justified sitting around doing nothing. Well, not nothing. I was perusing the iTunes store for apps for my new iPhone!! I've had it two days and wonder how I've survived this long without one. Seriously. Although I think I've only used it as a phone twice, but I don't use my cell phone a whole lot.

Anyway, this was our dinner on Thursday night. In hindsight it was a poor choice for that night because we were out in the afternoon and by the time we got home it was after 5:00, I had to feed the baby, and I didn't end up starting the risotto until 5:45 or so, so it was pretty late by the time we were eating. Oops. I told the husband that maybe I should save risottos for after the baby is weaned. :) This recipe came from Jen B.. It was funny, I had been going back through her blog looking for dinner ideas and thought this sounded good, plus I already had a bag of edamame in the freezer and arborio rice in my pantry. Then they ended up having this dinner one night last week! I thought it was funny anyway.

Edamame and Mushroom Risotto
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 ounces white button mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
1 pound frozen edamame
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 cups vegetable broth mixed with 1-1/2 cups water
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup of half and half (optional)

Directions:
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

2. Cook edamame, about 5 minutes, following package directions. Drain, cool and remove beans from shells. Add beans to mushrooms in skillet. Discard shells.

3. Place broth and water in a medium-size saucepan and bring to a simmer.

4. In a large saucepan, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add rice and stir until rice is coated with oil. Cook for 1 minute, stirring-. Add wine and cook until wine is absorbed -- about 1 minute

5. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering broth mixture. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, until broth is absorbed. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, cooking in the same manner. This should take about 30 minutes.

6. Gently heat mushrooms and edamame. Stir into rice and remove from heat. Stir in the pepper, half and half, and 1/4 cup of the cheese.

7. Divide among 4 bowls and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

*****

I totally spaced on taking a picture since we were eating so late, but there's a picture on Jen's original post if you want to see it. This was really good. I left out the half and half because I didn't have any on hand, and I think it would have been better with that added. The boy doesn't like mushrooms, but he ate his entire serving once I picked out the mushrooms for him. Normally I encourage him to eat things he's not fond of because I don't want a picky eater, but with sauteed mushrooms I don't mind because I love them, so I'll gladly eat his. :) The only thing I would change would be to use already shelled edamame because that took me quite awhile. I love edamame--it's such a great healthy snack and insanely high in fiber.