for all you gluten-free vegetarians out there

what is rich, creamy, filling, and does not involve excessive meat, cream, or bread? mushroom risotto. my dad's classic recipe (most likely lifted out of "The New York Times" 15 years ago) is hard to beat. the hour-long effort in front of the stove is surely worth this indulgent meal, plus stirring doesn't require much skill...what's great about this recipe is that it's packed with flavor without being (too) bad for you. the whole recipe only calls for 2 tbsp. of olive oil and 3 tbsp. of butter. the cheese is added to suit your taste. it must be a function of the Arborio Italian rice. now we know how they manage to stay relatively skinny with all that gelato...a tip though: i used half dried porcini mushrooms and half fresh shitake mushrooms which gave it all the flavor without too much effort.

stick gooey goodness.