This week we're doing things a little differently at Delicious Everyday. Why? Well, I'm excited because I have a wonderful new cookbook for vegetarians. And to celebrate, I will be sharing recipes from the book all week long.
So what is the book? It's Veg: River Cottage Everyday by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall!
Whether you are a vegetarian or not I think you will enjoy this book. I had River Cottage Veg Everyday on my Christmas whishlist and thankfully my fiance got the hint and wrapped it up and put it under the tree on Christmas day.
Having perused River Cottage Veg at the bookshop earlier in the year I knew it was going to be a book I would enjoy. Not only that, I am a huge fan of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, especially his River Cottage tv show.
Hugh is passionate about good food, growing his own, celebrating producers and educating people about food. Watching his tv show over the years has educated me about food origins and has taught me to celebrate simple produce.
In addition, to that, it's always fun to see Hugh's antics. He has a keen sense of humour and is a bit cheeky which only adds to the enjoyment. So much so that my fiance and I will often sit down to enjoy an episode of River Cottage just as much, if not more, than a lot of the sitcom and tv series that are on tv at the moment.
Despite having been a vegetarian for 18 years I've always been quite disappointed by the vegetarian cookbooks available on the market.
While, obviously, I haven't read every vegetarian cookbook (and if you know of a great one let me know in the comments), I've read my fair share, and owned just as many, only to feel uninspired and disappointed by the recipes contained within.
Not being a tofu lover, and having an intense dislike of "fake meat" products (why not just eat meat?), I look for cookbooks that celebrate vegetables in all of their earthy glory.
It's quite funny to think the best vegetarian cookbook I've read in a long time is written by a meat lover, but this is another one of those things I like about Hugh.
He celebrates ingredients and food and doesn't care if the resulting dish is a meat lovers delight or deliciously vegetarian (unlike Mr Gordon Ramsay who once said he'd electrocute his children if they decided to become vegetarian).
In fact, Hugh has said that cooking exclusively with vegetables has made him a better cook.
The recipes contained in River Cottage Veg Everyday are varied and cover a variety of dishes with chapters dedicated to soups, salads, store cupboard suppers, pasta and rice, mezze and tapas, bready things, barbeque, comfort food and raw assemblies.
In fact, there are over 200 recipes! And this week we are going to explore a couple of recipes from River Cottage Veg Everyday which will hopefully inspire you to try them.
How to Make Mushroom Orzo Risotto
First up it's Mushroom Risoniotto. Essentially this dish is a version of risotto which uses Risoni (a rice shaped pasta, also called Orzo) in place of rice.
Preparing this dish is really quite easy and is a matter of frying the mushrooms, adding some cream and herbs and combining with the cooked pasta.
Best of all it's so much easier than risotto!
This risoni recipe is deliciously mushroom-y and comforting, which makes it perfect for all of this rainy weather we've had here in Brisbane the last few weeks.
If you're a lover of mushrooms I'm sure you will enjoy this dish.
I hope you will join me the rest of this week as I explore more recipes from River Cottage Veg Everyday. And better yet, if you are inspired to make one of these dishes I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Mushroom Risoniotto (orzo risotto)
Ingredients
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs butter
- 500 g mushrooms cleaned and sliced
- 150 g risoni
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- a few sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 75 ml dry white wine
- 50 ml double cream or creme fraiche
- salt and pepper
- handful of freshly chopped parsley to server
Instructions
- Place a large saucepan of water over a high heat and bring it to the boil before salting. Add the risoni, and cook according to package directions (time varies by brand). When done, drain risoni and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon each of the oil and butter in a frying pan over a medium high heat. Add half of the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until all of the liquid is released has been evaporated and the mushrooms start to caramelise. Remove from the pan and set aside while you cook the remaining mushrooms.
- When the second batch of mushrooms are almost done add the first batch to the pan along with the thyme leaves, garlic and balsamic vinegar and cook, stirring, for a minute or two.
- Add the wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated before adding the cream or creme fraiche. Season with salt and pepper.
- Toss the mushrooms with the cooked risoni, and serve sprinkled with fresh parsley.
Ange says
I was given the Revive Cafe cookbook for Christmas, and I love it. Lots of great tips as well as great, colourful, fresh, tasty recipes. The majority are vegan or have alternatives within them to make them vegan (eg: date puree instead of honey). I love that the author has a whole philosophy of healthy living that extends beyond just diet.
Diana says
I am trying to incorporate more veggies in my diet. I have cut off red meat and looking thru vegetarian cookbooks for ideas and inspirations sadly most of them use SO MUCH cheese.
This recipe looks deliciouS, will give it a try.
Dormouse says
Hello! I found your blog while searching for a recipe from River Cottage Veg Every Day! I'm blogging to record my endeavour to cook every recipe from the book, which I love (even though I'm not a vegetarian).
I hope you don't mind, but I have linked to your blog from my blog. If there's a problem, please let me know and I will remove the link immediately.
I've enjoyed browsiong your blog and I'm sure I'll return.
delicieux says
Hi Dormouse, of course that's ok. Thank you for stopping by, always great to meet another River Cottage fan. 😀
Dawn Taylor says
Look forward to trying mushroom risoniotto, thanks for the chance to win one of these lovely cookbooks.
delicieux says
You're welcome Dawn. Good luck in the competition 😀
Trish says
I'm a vego but my other half definitely prefers meat. I'm always on the look out for tasty new ways to get him to eat more vego 😀
K-bobo @ Gormandize with A-dizzle & K-bobo says
I can't exactly commend on my favourite recipe as I haven't got any of his cookbooks - but if I win this one then I will surely let you know.
I know what you mean about veg cookbooks usually being very ordinary. I tend to find that a lot of vegetarian cookbooks lean heavily on cream and cheese as if vegetables aren't lovely enough to stand on their own. Similarly, I'm always disappointed by the number of vegan cookbooks that just have ordinary recipes but they use fake meat instead of meat. What I really want is dishes which celebrate how beautiful vegetables are as the main aspect of a dish! So, at your recommendation of this one I really hope I win it!
delicieux says
I agree, a lot of veg cookbooks do tend to rely a lot on cream and cheese. While I do love cheese, I don't want to eat it all the time. Good luck in the competition 🙂
Honey Durbidge says
Fantastic Recipe!!
Anthony says
Mushroom Risoniotto is my new favorite. We're growing mushrooms right now in our back room!
delicieux says
Oooh that would be wonderful Anthony....a never ending supply of mushrooms. I've read about Mushroom growing. Is it difficult?
Vija says
Have been watching River Cottage for years. Hugh is quite brilliant.
tania@mykitchenstories.com.au says
It never ceases to amaze me what Gordon Ramsay comes out with!
This recipe looks very delicious. I can never resist mushrooms as, I know you cant either. I never really watch Hugh but hes a stunningly good chef...
delicieux says
It really is amazing the things Gordon Ramsay does come out with. Talented he may be, polite, courteous and understanding of others he's not.
I agree, Hugh is a wonderful chef, and I think it's his passion for food, all foods, that makes him so wonderful. 🙂
anh says
so wonderful! I love mushroom risotto, the normal way! Will try this recipe!
Heather Leckie says
Would love to own this book... always looking for another inspiring veg cookbook!
The last really good veg cookbook I got was World Vegetarian Classics by Celia Brooks Brown, now well-used and covered in food smears. All the recipes are great, except possibly some duds in the Armenian section! Well worth checking out if you haven't already seen it.
My fav episode of River Cottage was when HFW made the elder flower champagne... it's been a while since he's been on the telly though, well the ABC anyway... wish they'd repeat the series!
Glad to have discovered your blog today... and in time to enter the comp too! Thanks! Wish some of your lovely rain would come down south...
delicieux says
Hi Heather,
Thank you for your sweet comments 🙂 Luckily I have Foxtel and Hugh is on the Lifestyle food channel all the time 😀
Good luck in the giveaway!
Lisa says
SO excited about this give away -lots of fantastic ideas to get more veg in your diet and a great compliment to your recipes 🙂
delicieux says
Thanks Lisa, and good luck in the competition 😀
JJ @ 84thand3rd says
I've heard great things about this book - and not eating soy I am always on the lookout for recipes celebrating vegetables instead of ones trying to replace meat! Looking forward to seeing the rest of the posts this week!
thelittleloaf says
I'm a huge fan of Hugh's too and absolutely loved his latest veg-based series on TV. I would be sad that I don't live in Australia so can't enter the competition, but I already have a copy of the book! Your risoniotto looks wonderful too - just the kind of dish that convinces meat eaters that they could happily be vegetarian 🙂
delicieux says
Thanks you 😀
Anna @ the shady pine says
Oooh what a great way to use risoni which I have a box of in the pantry that I haven't opened just yet. Love mushrooms!!!
Jas (the gluten free scallywag) says
FAntastic giveaway - I've been eyeing off this book a little while now too as I'm wanting to cut down the meats we eat every week, we currently eat a vego dinner twice a week, but I'd like to mix it up a little with our choices of what those vego meals are and the number each week. PS So making that risotto, that mushroom hatin' fiance of mine will just have to deal with it 😉
delicieux says
My fiance was like your fiance and used to hate mushrooms. Nowadays he actually enjoys mushroom dishes as I just kept getting him to try them because I couldn't give up mushrooms. They are too delicious! 😀
Antonietta says
I'll have to say his Chocolate Orange Truffle cake, contains no flour so gluten free, (we all love that) and full of chocolatey goodness. A real winner, Hugh 🙂
delicieux says
I haven't seen his Chocolate Orange Truffle cake recipe, but I am going to have to track it down now as I LOVE chocolate orange! Thanks 😀
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
Sounds like a fabulous book, I'm always looking for great vegetarian cookbooks. I'll have to check it out.
delicieux says
I think I recall seeing the book on Amazon, so I am sure you could get it from there 🙂
Narelle Rock says
I must say I love all the sweet dishes, as much as I shouldn't be eating any of them, but they are too hard to resist!
delicieux says
I agree 😀
JasmyneTea says
Looks great! I could never be vegetarian, but every now and then I do enjoy a meatless dish.
Kulsum at JourneyKitchen says
Looks fabulous Jennifer! I have heard about orzo but never really used it.
Kirsty says
Ah yes, veg everyday was also on my Christmas wish list amongst a few others. Sadly I didn't get it & it seems to be out of stock everywhere here in SA. I'm on the list for when it comes in at Borders but am getting rather impatient! River Cottage is a definite 'go to' program in my household too.
I love your pictures - stunning!
delicieux says
Thanks Kirsty and good luck in the competition! 😀
Rosa says
I love Hugh Fearnley-Whitingstall. His recipes and programms are awesome. This book is also on my wishlist...
A fancy recipe and dish! Really mouthwatering.
Cheers,
Rosa
delicieux says
Thanks Rosa 😀 Glad to see another Hugh fan. I love his work. It's great the work he does for food.
Martyna@WholesomeCook says
You can't go wrong with mushrooms, and Risoni is a much more preferred "rice" around here than rice itself, so it's pretty obvious I love the idea of this dish!
Sneh | Cook Republic says
Gorgeous recipe! Mushrooms and risottos are a match made in heaven, love the risoni twist.
Lizzy (Good Things) says
Jen, that dish looks lovely! Really tasty!
delicieux says
Thank you so much Lizzy. And yes, it was tasty. 😀