Recipe: Mushroom risotto

Serves 4

Method

Stock

• 2.5 l (4 pints) chicken or vegetable stock
• 50 g (1.8 oz) dried wild mushrooms (cep/porcini)
• 2 cloves of unpeeled garlic
• sprig of thyme

Risotto

• 250 g (9 oz) unsalted butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 250 g (9 oz) button mushrooms, sliced moderately finely
• 350 g (12 oz/4 handfuls) carnaroli rice
• 400 g (14 oz) selection of wild mushrooms
• 100 g (3.5 oz) parmesan cheese, to taste
• pepper to taste
• truffle oil and rocket salad to serve

Ingredients

Stock

1. In a saucepan, make up the chicken stock as per the packet instructions.
2. Add the dried mushrooms, garlic and 1 sprig of thyme.
3. Leave to simmer until needed.

Risotto

1. Melt 3/4 of the butter in a saucepan until it is foaming, but not splitting.
2. Add the chopped onion, garlic and sprigs of thyme.
3. Gently move the ingredients around the pan with a wooden spoon to soften the onions in the butter. When the onions are translucent, add the sliced button mushrooms.
4. Cook on a gentle heat until the mushrooms are also translucent.
5. Add the rice and move it around in the mixture until you hear a faint little crackle.
6. Remove the garlic and thyme from the stock.
7. Add the stock to the rice, a little at a time, stirring all the time.
8. Cook for around 12–15 minutes – until you can bite right through a grain of rice with no hard bit in the middle.
9. Add the wild mushrooms and dried mushrooms from the stock.
10. Add the extra butter reserved earlier and the parmesan cheese to taste.
11. Serve the risotto with a drizzle of truffle oil and rocket salad.