Mushroom Risotto Recipe

A true Italian mushroom risotto is creamy in texture and rich with a complexity of flavours: the background note of a good chicken broth, the vibrant flavours of the vegetable, meat or seafood you have chosen and the depth of fresh parmesan. It makes a deeply satisfying supper or an impressive first course to an Italian meal.

It is however a labour of love, as a risotto needs almost continuous stirring during its 30 minutes cooking, to develop the essential creamy texture. It’s no good just cooking some rice and stirring in some vegetable sauce afterwards, the vegetables must cook together with the Italian Arborio or Carnaroli rice so that the rice absorbs all the flavours.

This recipe features dried porcini mushrooms and makes the perfect showcase for their rich and earthy flavour, for a wonderful autumn or winter risotto. If you are lucky enough to have fresh porcini mushrooms you can use them too, just add them to the pan after the onions have softened and cook for a few more minutes before adding the rice.

Recipe for Dried Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients
25g / 1oz dried porcini mushrooms or ceps
1 litre / 1 ¾ pints good chicken stock or bouillon
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
60g / 2oz butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
400g / 14oz Italian risotto rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)
25g / 1oz freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to season

Soak the mushrooms in 450ml / 1 pint of lukewarm water at least 30 minutes before you want to start cooking. Once the first lot of soaking water has turned dark brown, strain it through a sieve lined with kitchen paper and keep for later. Soak the mushrooms in fresh changes of water until they are soft and there is no sign of any earth or grit left in the water.

Bring the stock or bouillon to a gentle simmer.

Sauté the onion in half the butter and all the oil in a heavy based casserole until it has softened but don’t let it brown.

Stir in the rice until it is well coated and stir for a moment, then add the first ladleful of simmering stock. Stir until it has all been absorbed then add another ladle, continuing to stir almost constantly, so that the rice doesn’t stick to the pan. The heat should be lively but not so hot that it evaporates all the liquid and dries out the rice too quickly.

After about 10 minutes of cooking, add the soaked mushrooms and 125 ml / ½ cup of the mushroom soaking liquid you reserved earlier. Keep stirring frequently and add the mushroom liquid 125 ml at a time until it has all been absorbed. Use the chicken stock to finish the cooking and keep stirring and cooking until the rice is tender to the bite,, but still al dente and no longer chalky in the centre. The amount of time depends on the rice used and can vary from 25 minutes-40 minutes, so the best way to tell is by tasting the rice.

When the rice is tender and creamy remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated parmesan and the rest of the butter. Check for salt and add more if needed, plus a few grindings of pepper. Serve immediately with a bowl of parmesan cheese alongside.

Feel like a good mushroom risotto, but don’t fancy standing over a hot stove for so long? Why not try the risotto at Strada restaurant in Nottingham.