VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good

by Mark Bittman

STEEL-CUT OATS, RISOTTO-STYLE MAKES: 4 SERVINGS TIME: ABOUT 1 HOUR Classic risotto is made with rice, of course, but steel-cut oats (and other grains, too) also develop a luxurious creaminess while retaining terrific chew when cooked with this technique. As with classic risotto, you can flavor this with almost anything you like. See the lists starting here for some of my favorite combinations or develop your own. Note that if you leave out the Parmesan, this becomes a perfect VB6 lunch dish. ½ cup dried porcini mushrooms 1½ cups very hot water 4 to 5 cups vegetable stock or water 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, chopped About 1½ teaspoons salt, plus more to taste 1½ cups steel-cut oats Black pepper to taste ½ cup dry white wine or water 2 cups sliced fresh shiitake or portabella mushroom caps 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese ¼ cup or more chopped fresh parsley 1 Soak the porcini mushrooms in the hot water until they soften a bit, at least 10 minutes. Put the stock in a medium pot over medium-low heat. Put 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. When it’s hot, add the onion, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, 3 to 5 minutes. 2 Add the oats to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until they’re glossy and coated with oil, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining teaspoon of salt and some pepper, then the white wine. Stir frequently and let the liquid bubble away. Lift the porcini out of the soaking...