MY MUSHROOMS RISOTTO

This recipe is my interpretation of three different recipes: those of two famous chefs, Karen Martini and Bill Granger, and that of an excellent Italian cookbook. Also, I added my personal touch. It can be made vegetarian if pancetta is not included and if vegetable broth is used instead of chicken broth. We love it and I hope that you love it too. Bon appétit !! 😋😁🤩

INGREDIENTS

20g dried porcini mushrooms
20g dried mixed forest mushrooms
1 - 1.5 litres vegetable or chicken stock
200ml white wine
4 Tbsp olive oil
200g pancetta, cut into small cubes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 fresh bay leaf
400g risotto rice (arborio, vialone, nano or carnaroli)
250g mushrooms, sliced
50g Parmesan, grated
25g butter

To serve
350g of your favourite mushrooms, sliced
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup dry sherry
olive oil
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:
Soak the porcini and mixed forest mushrooms in 500ml hot water for 30 minutes. Drain, retaining the liquid. Chop the dry mushrooms and pass the liquid through a fine sieve. 
Put the stock in a saucepan, bring to the boil and then maintain at a low simmer.
Meanwhile, heat a bit of oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the reserved mushrooms. Cook until they have drank their own water. Add the sherry and cook for a minute or two. Season with salt and pepper and then add the garlic and parsley and cook for an extra minute. Reserve.

Heat the olive oil in a large wide heavy-based saucepan. Cook pancetta until lightly brown and then add the onion and cook until softened but not brown. 

Toss in the fresh mushrooms and the fresh bayleaf. Cook stirring, until the mushrooms have absorbed all water released.

Add the rice and reduce the heat to low. Season and stir briefly to thoroughly coat the rice.  

Pour in the wine and cook over moderate heat, stirring continuously.

Add the porcini and their liquid, increase the heat and cook until the liquid has been absorbed.

Stir in a ladleful of stock and stir well. Continue like this for about 20 minutes, until all the stock has been added and the rice is al dente. 

(You may not need to use all the stock, or you may need a little extra).

When the risotto is almost done, tip in the reserved mushrooms but keep some for garnishing. Mix carefully and taste the risotto. Add some more stock if necessary.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Mix carefully.  

Add the Parmesan and mix well. 

Cover with a lid and let it sit for 2 minutes before serving.

Serve immediately.

Serves 4 -6

You can serve it with a rocket salad if you like. We had ours with lemon and mustard chicken for dinner tonight. Recipe in this blog.