Mushroom Risotto






About Risotto:


Risotto is an Italian rice dish cooked in broth to a creamy consistency. The broth may be meat-, fish-, or vegetable-based. Many types of risotto contain butter, wine and onion. It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy.
Risotto is normally a primo (first course), served on its own before the main course, but risotto alla milanese, is often served together with ossobuco alla milanese.


Serves 4-6

Prep time: 8 mins
Cook time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

For the Risotto Base:


Onion - 1 Small , minced
Diced Celery - ¼ cup
Garlic Cloves -2
Arborio Rice/Risotto Rice - 1 cup
White Wine - ¾ cup(optional)
Beef Stock - 4 1/2 to 5 cups(If need to keep it vegetarian use veg stock/ or even plain water)
Olive Oil - 2 Tbsp
Freshly Grated Parmiggiano Reggiano - ½ cup
Unsalted Butter, at room temperature - 3 Tbsp
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fresh Parsley, chopped

For the Mushrooms:

Mixed Mushrooms or Cremini Mushrooms, sliced - 1 cup
Dried Porcini Mushrooms(optional) - 1 oz / 2 to 3 tbsp
Olive Oil - 2 Tbsp
Garlic Cloves - 2, minced
Hot Pepper Flakes - 1/4 tsp
Fresh Thyme-2 tsp , chopped
Fresh Parsley- 2 Tbsp, chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste


Method:

For the mushrooms:

1) Take 1 cup of water and bring it to a simmer, turn the heat off and add the dried porcini. Let them sit for 10 minutes.

2) In a large skillet, add the oil and allow it to preheat over medium heat, add the garlic and cook until lightly golden.

3) Add the mushrooms , porcini mushroom and hot pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper. Let them cook for about 10 minutes or until they have developed some color and have cooked down a bit.

4) Sprinkle in the thyme and parsley and set aside

For the risotto:


1) Take a sauce pan and heat the beef broth and the Porcini water (don’t use the very bottom water from porcini mushroom water it may contain sediments)  in a saucepan over medium low heat and keep it gently simmering.

2) Preheat a large skillet with high sides over medium heat, cook the onions, celery and garlic in the olive oil for 5 to 7 minutes or until translucent. Add the rice and coat it in the oil, let it cook for about a minute.

3) Add the wine and allow it to reduce for about a minute as well. Add a ladle full of the simmering beef broth to the rice, stir constantly and continue to add the broth one ladle full at a time making sure to wait until the rice has soaked it all up before adding in another. Continue cooking the rice this way for about 18 minutes or until the rice is about 5 minutes away from being fully cooked.

4) When the rice is just about fully cooked, add in one more ladle full of beef broth along with the cooked mushroom mixture and season with salt and pepper. Add in the parmiggiano and butter, turn the heat off and place a lid on the pan. Let it sit for 5 minutes covered. Scatter over the chopped parsley and serve immediately!