mushroom risotto + roasted brussels sprouts

First of all, I always thought it was just "brussel" sprouts and not "brussels" sprouts. Not that it really matters because you get the s sound in there either way, but now I'm going to pay special attention to the way I say it. Anyway, I've never eaten brussels sprouts before, but I saw them pop up a couple times on food network and smitten kitchen, so when we saw them at the grocery store we bought a bag. And then they sat in my fridge for about a week, lonely and uneaten. Finally, just before they would probably go bad, we decided to make them and see how they turned out. I think roasting was good, and the more they were roasted, the better we liked them. Our conclusion was that our batch was a few minutes shy of what we would have liked but that overall, brussels sprouts are getting a bad rap and aren't so bad. Along with the brussels sprouts, we made risotto because, well, we love risotto and it's always delicious. Both the brussels sprouts and risotto recipes were from allrecipes.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

*we didn't measure and just put in the amount that we thought fit however many sprouts we had

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed and yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

garlic, chopped [we added this]

parmesan, grated [we added this at the end after the oven]

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).

Place trimmed brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, pepper, and garlic in a large resealable plastic bag [or mix by hand in a bowl, like I did]. Seal tightly, and shake to coat. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.

Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, shaking pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. Reduce heat when necessary to prevent burning. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary. Serve immediately [with parmesan cheese grated on top].

Mushroom Risotto

6 cups chicken broth, divided [we probably used 4-5 cups]

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced [we didn't use this]

1 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced [we used 8 oz regular mushrooms]

2 shallots, diced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives [didn't use]

4 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat [or boil water and add bouillon cube].

Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. 

Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.