Edamame Risotto with Confit Mushrooms

Plating a dish is like creating a work of edible art. There are so many ways to interpret a dish — something as simple as rearranging an element on the plate or switching out a garnish can change the entire mood of the canvas.

A thoughtful chef's plating can elevate even the most simple of dishes. The way ICE's Plant-Based Culinary Arts Chef-Instructor Chayanin "Nin" Pornsriniyom plates edamame risotto is a perfect example.

Chef Nin amps up the flavor and appearance of a standard risotto by adding vibrant green edamame paste. Her artistry shines through in her precise arrangement of the umami-rich confit shiitake mushrooms on top. She finishes the dish with her final brush stroke: a drizzle of fluffy whey foam and a bundle of fried leeks gently nested in the center.

 

 

 

 

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Though it looks fancy, the actual preparation of the dish is achievable for professional chefs and home cooks alike. Here's how to make it at home.

Recipe

Edamame Risotto

Servings: 4

Adapted from David Kinch

Ingredients

• 20 grams carnaroli rice
• 100 grams water
• 750 grams frozen shelled edamame
• 100 grams shiitake mushrooms
• 1000 grams unsalted butter
• 5 sprigs of thyme
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 leek, thinly-sliced 
• 1 lemon, zested
• 35 grams fresh ricotta

Directions

1. Combine rice and water and bring to a simmer over medium heat, uncovered, for 55 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan. Strain over a mesh to extract rice water without pressing too much on the rice, reserving rice for later use.
2. Blanch and pat the edamame dry and then pulse in a food processor to form a chunky paste. Reserve in the refrigerator.
3. Slice the shiitake mushrooms, while keeping the natural shapes of the mushrooms. In a baking pan, melt the butter and add the thyme, garlic and salt, and then add the mushrooms. Cover the pan with foil and bake in the oven at 275°F for 1 hour. Once done, drain the mushroom confit.
4. In a sauté pan set over medium-high heat, sear the shiitake confit until caramelized; reserve.
5. Fry leeks in neutral oil over medium-high heat until golden brown and season with salt. Reserve for garnish.
6. To make the risotto, add the edamame in a small pan set over medium heat with a little olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons of the rice water and mix well. Keep adding rice water as needed to create a consistency similar to risotto.
7. Season with salt and lemon zest. Gently stir in 2 tablespoons of fresh ricotta. Garnish with fried leeks and shiitake confit.