Mushroom Risotto

November 16, 2020 Sally Uhlmann

Flavor and patience come together

A bin of freshly dug porcini mushrooms beckoned to me at my local grocery store in Cortona, Italy. Plump, earthy, misshapen, and promising a deep taste of fall, I loaded up, already anticipating the evening’s risotto. I decided to enhance the flavor by including dried porcinis along with the fresh, which is not necessary but adds more depth. This dish can be made with any number of mushrooms (and their dried counterparts), just use what’s on-hand. Vegetarians can substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock, and vegans can use olive oil and eliminate the Parmesan cheese. Serve as a first course or after an appetizer, with a salad, for a meal.

Mushroom Risotto

Serves 4 as a first course

For the porcinis (or other mushrooms)
Can be prepared an hour before eating.

1 cup dried mushrooms soaked in 1½ cups hot water for 30 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 to 10 medium porcinis, cleaned and chopped (about 2 cups)
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup strained water from soaking the dried mushrooms
1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley

Soak dried mushrooms, then remove from water and reserve the soaking water. Rinse mushrooms under cold water, squeeze out excess water and then chop. Line a small strainer with a paper towel and pour soaking water through strainer, reserving ½ cup of the liquid.
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Add fresh mushrooms and garlic. Give a generous twist of fresh ground pepper and salt. Cook over medium heat until mushrooms wilt and give off their juices. Add the chopped dried mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add wine and cook until evaporated. Add soaking water and cook until evaporated. Turn off heat and add parsley. Set aside until needed.

For the rice
Begin 1/2 hour before serving

4-1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock, warmed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil (I prefer butter)
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion or shallot
1-1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese (about a cup finely grated)

Place stock and thyme in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
Heat butter or oil in a medium-to-large saucepan. Add onions and slowly sauté for about 5 minutes to soften. Add rice and sauté another couple of minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon in a clockwise direction. Increase heat to medium-to-just-barely high and add white wine. Continue to stir.
When the wine has evaporated, add approximately ¾ cup of the simmering stock. The crucial part of risotto—the action that turns humble rice into a creamy dish of the gods—is stirring the grains, always in the same direction, and slowly adding stock only when the last liquid addition has evaporated. Arborio rice has an exterior coat that you are emulsifying. If you stir in different directions or not enough, the coating becomes gummy or doesn’t properly develop. Add broth as needed. After about 15 minutes, add the reserved mushrooms, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Continue to add stock, but in decreasing amounts as the rice gets close to being done. You want the rice to be al dente (with a bite).
When the rice is finished cooking (about 25 to 30 minutes total), add half the cheese and stir to incorporate. Plate and sprinkle with additional cheese. Eat immediately!