Chanterelle Risotto with Tofu Scallops

I bought some local Chanterelle mushrooms on my way home from work and risotto came to mind. The recipe below calls for 4 cups of faux chicken broth. I used the Better Than Bouillon brand, which is a thick concentrate of dehydrated veggies and yeast extract. It reminds me of Marmite, but has some other ingredients (e.g., hydrolized soy protein and corn syrup) that make it less healthy. I use it occasionally--I might just stick to Marmite in future.

At any rate, I found the faux chicken broth to be slightly overpowering (although my husband loved it). So, if I make this recipe again, I will cut the faux chicken broth down to 2 cups and use 2 cups of a plain veggie broth. You could also try adding some soy cream or similar to cut the flavor of the broth and add richness. Anyway, I'll leave it up to the individual. More assorted mushrooms would also be nice.

Chanterelles

Chanterelle Risotto (Makes 4 average portions)

First, make some salted almonds to top the risotto in place of the traditional parmigiano cheese:

Faux Parmigiano Topping:
1/2 cup silvered blanched almonds
salt
1/2 tablespoons olive oil

On an oven tray, mix the almonds with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, sprinkle with salt to taste. Roast under a low broiler, watching them closely, for about 2-4 minutes, stirring a few times during the process. When the almonds are nicely toasted, set aside to cool.

Salted almonds

Risotto:
1 tablespoon Earth Balance
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound Chanterelle mushrooms, dry-brushed clean, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry sherry (or dry white wine)
4 cups Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Broth ( or salted veggie broth of choice)
1.5 cups Arborio rice
handful of fresh parsley, chopped

In a sauce pan, bring the broth to a simmer, reduce heat and keep it warm for adding to the risotto.

In a separate, large sauce pan, saute chanterelles in the Earth Balance until they begin to turn golden and reduce in volume ~ 4-5 minutes. Set the mushrooms aside. In the same pan, add the olive oil, onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. Add the rice and let it saute for another minute, browning it a bit while stirring. Deglaze with the sherry or wine and let cook for another minute or so.

Now, start adding the broth one ladle at a time, stirring constantly. As the liquid is absorbed, add more broth until the rice has cooked up to desired degree... ~ 20 -25 minutes. You may not use all the broth or you may have to add some more hot water...you'll have to judge as you go. About 15 minutes into this process, toss in the mushrooms. Stir in the parsley a couple minutes before cooking is complete.

About 3 minutes before serving

For the tofu scallops, I used firm tofu, pressed to get the extra liquid out. Then I marinated it for an hour or so in equal parts lemon juice, agave, and soy sauce with a tablespoon of Dijon mustard. As I began the risotto, I put the tofu in a 375 F oven to roast.

Happy Day 3 of VeganMoFo!!!