Mushroom quinotto

Martin Morales presents a risotto recipe with a twist

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Mushroom quinotto

Quinotto is like a quinoa risotto, but the method is a little different โ€“ the quinoa is cooked before being added to the remaining ingredients. Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is much healthier than white rice and the addition of wine, cream and cheese makes it just as indulgent as the Italian counterpart.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

250g quinoa

1 litre cold water

1 tbsp olive oil

30g butter

1 onion, finely chopped

125g mixed mushrooms, finely sliced

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

125ml white wine

125ml single cream

Grated nutmeg, to taste

50g Parmesan cheese, grated

4 tbsp finely chopped flatleaf parsley

Sea salt and freshly ground

Black pepper

Method:

1. Rinse the quinoa thoroughly. Put it in a saucepan and cover it with the cold water and a pinch of salt. Set over medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.

2. Meanwhile, put the olive oil and butter in a wide, shallow saucepan. Melt over low heat and then add the onion and mushrooms and sautรฉ until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and sautรฉ for a further minute, then add the wine. Bring to the boil, add the cream and season with a grating of nutmeg and some pepper.

3. Bring back to the boil and add the cooked quinoa. Lower the heat and allow the quinotto to continue cooking, stirring constantly until it has the same thick texture of risotto. Add half the Parmesan, half the parsley and some salt, if necessary.

4. Serve with the remaining Parmesan, extra mushrooms and parsley spinkled over the top.

Tip: Quinoa is gluten-free, easy to digest and can be used in the same way as rice in lots of dishes. Try it instead of rice in a stuffing or pilaff or use it to make a quinoa tabbouleh.

From Saturday Kitchen Suppers: Over 100 Seasonal Recipes For Weekday Suppers, Family Meals And Dinner Party Show Stoppers (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ยฃ20/eBook ยฃ10.99)