Beef Mushroom Risotto Recipe

 I had a very busy weekend this weekend. My oldest daughter turned 13 last week so we had her teenage initiation party. Saturday was a wash, but I did get to make one Mealpod recipe Sunday. We still have peppers, alfredo, and spaghetti Mealpods  in the freezer so we are doing well. I ate all the lasagna from last week though. I didn't even freeze it as I knew it would be gone by the end of the week.

This week I had my husband pick what to make and he picked a mushroom risotto from a magazine. It didn't have a protein though so I altered it to make it into a full meal. Now it is Beef Mushroom Risotto with a touch of red wine and baby arugula. 


I photographed it as a Mealpod because this is the way I eat it. We had some fresh last night after it was made, but I froze the rest and reheated one in the oven today at 350 right in the foil pack for 25 minutes. I have to say it tastes even better today... the Parmesan cheese mellowed and the mushroom flavor came out more after reheating. If you are a risotto snob I am sure freezing and reheating it is a no no but I think it is delicious.  The rice will soften when reheating, but you can always undercook it from the start so when it is reheated it is cooked right.
-Nicole
Click read ore below for the recipe.
Beef Mushroom Risotto

2 lbs Sirloin (or better grade)
3 tbs olive oil (or butter)
salt & pepper
2 med/small onions
1 lb mushrooms (your choice on type - i used portobello and white button)
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 cups Arborio Rice
4-6 cups beef broth
5 oz Baby Arugula
1 bunch of green onions
3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

Get all of your ingredients chopped and ready. Cut the sirloin into 1/4 inch strips and then cut the strips into 1/2" pieces. Add salt and pepper and set aside. Finely dice the onions, chop the mushrooms into small pieces, chop the green part of the green onions as well as the ends, and wash your arugula.

In a medium pot warm your broth and keep on low until needed.
In a large pot, add 3 tbs olive oil and set on medium high heat. When heated, add your Sirloin and salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes until slightly browned. Add the onions and cook until slightly soft about 2 minutes. Add the rice, mushrooms and wine. Turn down the heat to medium and cook stirring occasionally until the wine is almost all the way reduced.

Add 4 cups of the warmed broth and bring to a boil. Turn down heat to simmer and allow to simmer until the rice absorbs the broth, looks creamy and the rice is cooked el dente. If you need to add more broth to cook all the way through, go ahead and add more broth.

When finished, add the arugula and parmesan cheese while it is still hot, stirring until the parmesan is completed melted and incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste.

This made me about 13 Mealpods wrapped in foil. Well except that we ate 3 of them right away. We packed the other 10 as frozen Mealpods into pretty small servings so they reheat well, but you can  always have 2 for a meal. Please go to the freezing page on our website to find out how to wrap these for great reheating and freshness. http://www.mealpod.us/freezing-tips

 I highly recommend reheating this dish in the oven rather than the microwave. Just pop the oven onto 350, change from your work clothes, and then get the Mealpod from the freezer. Heat it for 25 minutes and it tuns out steamy and creamy.

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