Creamy Spring ‘Risotto’

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Risotto is a classic Northern Italian rice dish with roots in the 14th century Milan. Risotto, meaning rice, is cooked slowly with broth, until the rice becomes creamy giving the dish its signature texture. This became one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy as the price of rice became affordable to the common man. Many traditional recipes also call for butter, onion, parmesan cheese, and white wine in addition to the broth and rice. This dish is traditionally served before the main course, and has many variations including mushroom and saffron. 

To make this classic Italian dish SCD compliant, I have opted to use celeriac (celery root) as my starch instead of rice. This ‘root’ is very versatile and gives a nice texture similar to rice. Cooking it in almond milk gives a creaminess that infuses into the celeriac maintaining the classic texture. Now feel free to use other types of mushrooms or even parmesan if you want to be a bit more authentic. I choose to use gruyere, since it is similar in hardness and flavor to parmesan, without having to restrict consumption. Just remember any SCD approved cheese is acceptable. The peas in this dish give a pop of sweetness, and the lemon adds bright acidity that cuts through the richness of the cheese and almond milk. True to my culinary training, I have left the spirit and respected the history of the dish, while adding new flavors and SCD legal ingredients. This dish has certainly become one of my favorite comforting one-pan weeknight meals, and I know you will feel the same!  

Creamy Spring ‘Risotto’

Serves 4
Prep: 25 min                                                                                                                                                           
Cooking : 15 min                                                                                                                                                                                                             Total: 40 min
Beginner

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. Olive oil 

4 Large celery root, about 5 cups 

1 large yellow onion, diced

1 leek, cleaned and diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Cups cremini mushrooms, diced 

2 Cup almond milk, unsweetened no thickeners

½ Cup chicken stock 

1 Cup frozen peas

1 Cup Gruyere, grated (plus more for topping)

2 Tbsp. Lemon juice 

Salt, TT

Black Pepper, TT

      Method Of Prep:

  1. Gather and prep ingredients.
  2. Thoroughly clean and peel celeriac (celery root).
  3. Next, cut it into large chunks.
  4. Set up your food processor with the standard blade attachment. Pulse several times until it resembles ‘rice’. Set aside.
  5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.
  6. Add olive oil, onion, leek, and garlic.
  7. Sauté for a few minutes until the onion starts to become translucent.
  8. Add in diced mushrooms and brown for 2-3 minutes.
  9. Deglaze the pan by adding the stock and almond milk.
  10. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the celeriac starts to become tender.
  11. Add in peas and continue to cook for two more minutes.
  12. Season to taste. Stir in the gruyere to melt and squeeze lemon juice over ‘risotto’.
  13. Top with some extra grated gruyere, and fresh black pepper.
  14. Serve immediately and enjoy!
                         

     

    Nutrition Facts: 
    Calories- 333
    Carbs- 29.6 g
    Fat- 17.7 g
    Protein- 18 g