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Thursday, September 5, 2013

Parcel - the herb and Mushroom Risotto


This is a handy herb to grow if you have the space in the garden. It's a perennial, so it will die down over winter, only to flourish back, ready for use in the spring.

I made a gorgeous mushroom risotto last week that called for celery. I didn't have any, but what I did have was Parcel in the garden. It's leaves look like flat leaf parsley, but smells of and has the flavour of celery, so I used it to substitute. It worked a treat.

I used some of the mushrooms that we found in June that I had frozen.  




1 onion, sliced thinly
2 celery sticks, sliced
2 tablespoons oil
350 grams mushrooms, sliced
1 lemon, finely grated rind and juice
175 grams arborio rice
400 ml vegetable stock or chicken stock
125 gr frozen peas
75 grams grated cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Fry onion and celery for a few minutes in oil. Add the mushrooms, lemon rind and juice and cook for 10 minutes.

Add in the rice, stirring for 2 minutes. Add stock and simmer gently, covered, for about 20 minutes. If the rice isn't tender and there is no more liquid add a little more stock or water and give it another 5-10 minutes.

Stir in the peas, cheeses and parsley until the cheese has melted. 

Serve and enjoy. Delicious.



17 comments:

  1. That looks like a delicious risotto! Hoping to get our herb garden up now the renovations on our patio are finished

    Blogs and PR Visiting :)

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    1. Herb gardens are an awesome investment. You can dry, freeze or use them fresh for flavour. I recently found a santolina plant, it's leaves smell and taste like olives!

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  2. I've never heard of parcel! You learn something new every day ;-)

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    1. I got it off my mum, and I had no idea what it was until a few days ago. I thought it was Lovage herb.

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  3. Yummmm! This looks so fresh and delicious, i will definitely give it a whirl - even though I am renowned for being a bit crap when it comes to Risottos! And I, too, had never heard of Parcel - sounds great. I love celery and totally adore parsley, it's my fave - so must hunt out some parcel and give it a bash, too.
    Thanks so much for sharing :-) Katie x

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    1. Parcel is great in cooked dishes instead of celery. Lord knows I don't have celery in the fridge all the time. It comes in handy for soups too. This is an easy version of risotto, it probably won't be winning masterchef, but it tastes awesome.

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  4. I have never heard of parcel before (maybe I am the mushroom!). I think it is high time I seek it out and tr it :)

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  5. I've never heard of Parcel the herb, and I love gardening! Thanks for the introduction!
    xx

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  6. Parcel is new to me too! There is so much I don't know about cooking and growing - but the internet is here to show me the way (and it's not surprisingly Mrs BC who is often the teacher)! That looks like such a delicious family meal, Mrs BC. Pinning! x

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  7. Parcel is also new to me. In what other meals is great to use in?

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    1. It's a bit bitter to eat fresh, so I probably wouldn't use it like that. Apparently you can use the leaves though just like parsley. I works well in any cooked dishes like soups, casseroles, stir fries and things like this rice dish.

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  8. Looks so good! I'd love to have a garden where I could grow things to cook with! Visiting from FYBF. -Aroha

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  9. We are right into risotto at the moment. This one looks yum! I love mushies!

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    1. I haven't cooked a proper risotto for yonks. One's like this one and the oven cooked one's are much easier for family meals, and they taste amazing :)

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  10. Oh Yum! I love mushrooms! t looks delicious!

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