I don’t know what was wrong with my camera the day I took this picture, but everything looked red. Even when I adjust the color, it’s either red or violently not-red. Those things on top are walnuts, so imagine the walnuts are walnut-colored and adjust everything else accordingly.Thank you.

I took this to a dinner attended almost exclusively by carnivores — well, omnivores, actually — and they loved this. They said it tasted like it had cheddar cheese in it, but it doesn’t.

I got the recipe from a cookbook called FRESH FROM THE VEGAN SLOW COOKER by Robin Robertson, but I didn’t use a slow cooker, because I had twenty freakin’ minutes to spare. Why put something in a slow cooker for two freakin’ hours, when you can stovetop it in twenty minutes? Is stirring a pot really that hard? I think not. You have to do about 10 minutes prep time, anyway, so what’s another 20?

ANYWAY, here’s the recipe.

Artichoke Risotto

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion or 2 shallots, minced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
• 3 1/2 cups vegetable broth, plus more if needed
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups canned or thawed frozen artichoke hearts, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (I didn’t have any, so I used the brine from the artichokes)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts for garnish
• 2 Tablespoons snipped fresh chives, for garnish (I didn’t have any, so didn’t use any)

Heat the oil (I used a saucepan) over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook about 5 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook for 30 seconds, then add the rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

To finish in the slow cooker, transfer all this to the slow cooker. Add the broth, thyme, and salt, cover, and cook on High until all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is just tender, about 2 hours.

To finish on the stovetop, add a cup of broth, thyme, and salt, bring up to bubbling, stirring constantly, then turn down to simmer. Stir until the liquid is almost absorbed, then add more. Keep stirring. When that liquid is almost gone, add some more. When all the liquid is gone, and all is absorbed into the rice, the rice should be chewy but tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the artichokes, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, and pepper to taste. Stir in more hot broth if the mixture is too dry.

Sprinkle with toasted walnuts and chives (if you got ’em).

A WRITING PROMPT FOR YOU: A character takes a photograph that doesn’t turn out as it should.

MA