Ingredients

* 3 14 1/2-ounce cans vegetable broth
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 pound morel mushrooms (may mix with crimini and stemmed shiitake to extend), sliced
* 1 cup arborio rice*
* 3/4 cup dry Sherry
* 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, DIVIDED (about 4 ounces total)
* 2 cups fresh baby spinach
* 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
* Zest from half a lemon

*May subsitute quinoa for a healthier twist.

Preparation

Bring vegetable broth to simmer in medium saucepan, reduce to low to keep warm. Melt butter with olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add mushrooms; cook until mushrooms are just tender and juices are released, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove about half of the mushrooms from saucepan into a bowl and cover with foil to keep warm. Add aborio rice to saucepan and stir to coat. Add Sherry and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently, about 8 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Carefully add 3/4 cup hot vegetable broth and simmer, stirring frequently, until absorbed. Repeat with remaining hot vegetable broth 3/4 cup at a time, stirring frequently and allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more. Do this until rice is just tender and mixture is creamy, about 30 minutes (this time may range from 25 minutes to 35 minutes and you may not need to use all of the broth). Stir in reserved cooked mushrooms, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, baby spinach, chopped fresh thyme and lemon zest. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan to pass. Great with roasted asparagus.

Read the accompanying article on MyNorth.com