Mushroom Risotto
Total time: 25 minutes
I used fresh cepes and oyster mushrooms for this. Use the best / most interesting you can find.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (3.5oz, 100gr) Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto - Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
- 1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) dry, white wine
- 2 cups (16oz, 480ml) chicken stock
- 1/2 onion other half for condimenti
- 1 tbs butter
- 1/2 cup (2oz, 60gr) Parmesan cheese - freshly grated
- Condimenti:
- 4oz (120gr) mushrooms
- 1/2 onion
- 1 tomato
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 1 tbs dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbs Greek or plain yogurt
Instructions:
- Heat chicken stock and keep hot over low heat.
- Finely chop onion.
- In medium sauce pan heat butter; add the onion and sauté until transparent.
- Add rice and sauté, stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes until rice has white center.
- Add white wine and stir.
- Start condimenti.
- When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/4 cup of stock, stir. (No need to stir constantly but do stir from time to time.)
- When stock is almost absorbed add another 1/4 cup and continue adding 1/4 cup at a time and stirring.
- Before adding the last 1/4 cup taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just 'al dente' - slightly resistant to the tooth, but fully cooked. If more stock is needed add it 1/8 cup at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed. At this point risotto will be thick but not stiff - there will still be visible liquid and it will not hold it's shape on a plate.
- Add the Parmesan and the condimenti, stir well.
- Spoon into a bowl or risotto platter and serve.
- Condimenti:
- Brush mushrooms, trim and slice.
- Chop onion.
- Roughly chop tomato.
- Heat oil in medium skillet. Add onion, mushrooms and sauté until starting to brown.
- Add tomato and simmer until it softens.
- Cover, turn heat to low and keep warm until needed.
- Just before adding to risotto, stir in yogurt.
Note: It will continue to absorb liquid and the leftovers (if any) will be quite stiff. The risottos that we have eaten in northern Italy have all been served in soup plates (flattish bowls) and eaten with a spoon - not a fork.