Sweet Potato and Mushroom Risotto

We're all things sweet potatoes these days. I don't think I had a sweet potato until I was like 35 yrs old. I didn't have a black bean until I was 18...you catch my drift. We grow up on certain things and not others (did you ever hear the This American Life story about the woman who had chicken every night for dinner until she went to college and realized that not everyone else had chicken every night for dinner...??). Paddy wonders why we can't have 'real potatoes' but whatever - Jack eats sweet potatoes and I love them too. So if I can kill two birds with one stone, let's do it.

2 roasted sweet potatoes, peeled and pureed
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cups sliced shiitakes
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tbsp chopped sage
5 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 cups Arborio rice
5 cups chicken (or veggie) broth, warm
salt and pepper
1/4 cup marscarpone or cream cheese
1/4 Parmesan

1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high. Add mushrooms, onion, sage and garlic.

2. Add rice and cook a couple of mins, stirring. Stir in 1 cup of sweet potato, 2 cups of stock. Bring to a boil. Simmer until liquid has almost been absorbed. Add more stock and simmer again, until almost absorbed. Continue until all stock used and rice is tender.

3. Remove from heat, add the rest of the potato and cheese and mix until incorporated.