Mushroom Risotto

Mushroom Risotto is a simple, yet rich Italian-style autumn dish. In this recipe, a deep and earthy mushroom flavor is enhanced by addition of dried porcini mushrooms. If you don’t have dried mushrooms, you can make the risotto using just fresh ones.

Cooking any type of risotto is an art. There are a few secrets to it and I’m going to share them with you.

• Risotto should be cooked over medium heat, so that rice is equally cooked through. If you cook over a high heat, rice will be cooked outside, but still hard inside.
• It is important to stir often, so that risotto does not stick to the bottom of the pan and burn.
• Most important thing is to add stock gradually, one ladle at a time, and let each addition be absorbed before adding next. If you add all liquid at once, you will get just plain cooked rice instead of creamy risotto.
• Adding a know of butter at the end of cooking will make your risotto extra creamy.

Mushroom Risotto can be served as a hearty and healthy side dish, or even as a main dish combined with a bowl of fresh salad.

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Mushroom Risotto

Servings: 3 -4

Author: Kitchen Nostalgia

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 1/2 cup fresh mushrooms (cremini oyster, etc), sliced, 225 g; 8 oz
• 2 1/2 cup hot stock (beef chicken or vegetable)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 cup arborio rice 210 g; 8 oz
• 1/4 cup white wine
• Tbsp a knob of butter* about 1/2
• grated Parmesan* cheese
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Soak porcini mushrooms in 1 cup hot stock for 10 minutes.
2. In a large, heavy based saucepan heat the oil and add the onion and garlic. Fry over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes, until softened. Add drained porcini mushrooms together with fresh mushrooms and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in arborio rice and coat in the oil. Add white wine and simmer, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute.
4. Combine your stock with the stock that the mushrooms were soaked in, and keep it on a low simmer. Stir 1/4 cup simmering stock into rice and cook on medium heat, stirring often, until absorbed. Continue cooking and adding stock, about 1 ladle at a time. Stir frequently and let each addition be absorbed before adding next. Cook in this way until rice is tender and creamy, but still al dente, about 18 to 20 minutes.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a knob of butter, parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

Recipe Notes

* omit butter and Parmesan cheese if you're vegan