Baked Spinach Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onions

8 oz crimini mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cups boiling water
4 tbsp canola oil, divided
2 yellow onions, divided
4 cloves garlic, pressed
16 oz sliced button mushrooms
1 large sprig fresh thyme
1 large sprig fresh rosemary
2 cup Arborio rice
4 cups spinach, chopped
5.25 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to garnish

You can replace 2 and 1/4 cups of the vegetable broth with dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc.

Replace the crimini mushrooms with 1/2 ounce dried shiitake or porcini mushrooms, finely chopped

1. Heat the oven to 300°F. Rinse the crimini mushrooms lightly. Place the mushrooms in a heat-proof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Set them aside to steep while you cook the onion.

2. Dice one of the onions. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 3-quart (or larger) ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes, or until soft and golden.

3. Push the onions to the side of the pot, and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add all the sliced (fresh) mushrooms, spread in a flat layer, and let them cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Flip the mushrooms and cook for another five minutes, or until they are quite brown and a crust is developing on the bottom of the pan.

4. Drain the dried mushrooms, saving the liquid. Add the finely chopped crimini mushrooms, thyme and rosemary sprigs to the pan and sauté briefly, mixing with the onion and the rest of the mushrooms. Add the rice and cook, stirring once or twice, for about 4 minutes, or until the rice begins to turn transparent.

5. Turn the heat to high and add the broth, spinach, and reserved mushroom steeping liquid. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan as you add the liquid to deglaze any mushroom/onion bits sticking to the pan. Stir in the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and put it in the oven to bake for 35 minutes.

6. While the rice is baking, make the caramelized onions. Heat the remaining olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet (cast iron if you have it). Cut the remaining onion in half, and then slice into thin half moons. Add them to the oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to brown. Let them go as long as you can, at least 30 minutes.

7. When the risotto has finished baking, let it stand uncovered for 5 minutes before serving.

Serving Size: Serves 8 as a main dish or 10-12 as a side.

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user METTAKARUNA.