Classy and quick: Low-maintenance mushroom risotto

"The key to a perfect risotto is in the stirring—constant stirring," my aunt Marie used to tell me, as I vigorously mixed the creamy rice mixture. She called it teaching, but I'm pretty sure it was just an excuse to make sure the Parmesan cheese we added hadn't crusted over at the bottom of the pan. And there I was, stirring away, wondering how much longer was this going to go on, worried the cheese would soon evaporate from all my efforts.

Ten years, and a bottle of Chardonnay later (give or take), she's less worried about my inconsistent stirring and more that I don't need her help in the kitchen anymore. But this week, when I was feeling particularly dreary, perhaps a result of the torrential downpours. my aunt gave me the idea to make a risotto – the perfect, home-cooked comfort food.

I know I'm creative when it comes to food, but somehow the words "dining hall" and "risotto" just don't belong in the same sentence. Call me snobby, but where am I supposed to find Arborio rice, freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (sorry, but powdered parmesan is not real cheese), or Porcini mushrooms? Not in a dining hall, that's for sure.

Then again, rice in Italy? Before the 14th century you would have gotten laughed off the boot-shaped country; all everyone ate was pasta. But I figure if the Arabs were able to set up rice paddies in the Po Valley then my seemingly impossible feat pales in comparison. Besides, today Italy is the leading producer of rice in Europe.

Less talk and more cucina (that's cooking, in Italian)! First up, I needed to find rice. While the three most common rice types in Italy are Arborio, Vialone and Carnaroli, I was thrilled when I found white rice pilaf with mushrooms in the allergy station (meaning free of unwanted add-ins). My second item was the Parmigiano cheese; in the salad bar I found grated cheese, which smelled and tasted like Parmesan—good enough for me (typically, this cheese is used for Caesar salads).

Risotto also calls for butter, but I opted for olive oil, which not only has one-third the saturated fat but also way more flavor! I then added fresh ground-pepper (yes, there is a wooden pepper mill in Tower dining hall), parsley (from the campus center), and two spoonfuls white wine (not from the dining hall). I then zapped it in the microwave for three minutes (real classy), with just a few solid seconds of stirring in between each minute.

For the Italians, risotto is normally served as a primo (first course) and eaten on its own before the main course. For us students, however, time is of the essence, so let's not get too fancy—or caught up in superfluous stirring.

The Recipe:

1 cup white rice with mushrooms

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. dry white wine

¼ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Heat in the microwave for approximately 3 minutes, uncovered. Every minute, stop heating, and give the risotto a quick stir to prevent the cheese from getting stringy. Once a porridge-like consistency is achieved, let cool for one minute, and then top with a little extra fresh Parmesan. I chose to pair my risotto with steamed corn and lemony-arugula, which I bought from the Regeneration Farmer's Market on campus—so delicious, no dressing needed.

Buon Appetito!