Earthy, creamy and rich, the breakfast risotto at Grace Manor is a new take on the most important meal of the day. Studded with a mix of Ozark Forest mushrooms and Rensing Farms’ pork sausage, the risotto takes a turn toward decadence as two perfectly poached, orange-yolked, farm-fresh eggs get perched atop it. This is a dish to curl up with and savor on cool fall mornings. Editor's note: This restaurant has closed.
INGREDIENTS
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried basil
1 cup boiling water
Canola oil
¼ cup Ozark Forest mushrooms (combination of oyster [torn into thirds], shiitakes and creminis [each cut in ¼-inch thick slices])
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup cooked arborio rice
¼ cup Rensing Farms pork sausage
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 farm-fresh eggs
PREPARATION
• Mix the oregano and basil together and set aside.
• Combine the hot water and 1 teaspoon of the herb blend in a mug or small boil, cover with a small plate or plastic wrap and let steep for at least 5 minutes. (The longer it steeps the stronger it gets, and that’s just fine.) Set the herb broth aside.
• Heat a saucepan to high. Once smoke rises from the skillet, add 2 tablespoons of canola oil and the mushrooms. Once browned on one side, flip the mushrooms and brown on the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add 1 tablespoon of butter to a saucepan over medium heat. Once it melts, add the herb broth and the cooked rice. Cook, stirring occasionally.
• When the rice has absorbed most of the herb broth, add the pork sausage to the saucepan and stir to let the sausage brown a little.
• Add the seared mushrooms back into the saucepan, along with the grated Parmesan.
• Once the Parmesan begins to melt, pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Transfer the risotto to a plate.
• Poach both eggs until the whites are just set but the yolks are still runny, about 1 to 3 minutes. Make 2 small indentions in the risotto mound and place an egg inside each.
This article appears in October 2011.