Wild Mushroom Risotto
Even though the number of locations with proper outdoor heating seem to be fewer and farther between in the dead of winter, I am still thankful for opportunities to catch up with friends in a safer environment than any spot with recirculated air. It was during just such an outing recently that I decided to try the risotto at this lovely Italian spot in Park Slope that I was reminded just how much I miss the endless variety found throughout this city I call home. After finishing, I only wanted more so naturally the next step was to plan my own. While this does that a bit more attention than other dishes, the result is creamy, comforting, and totally worth it.
INGREDIENTS
WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO (Serves 6):
1 lb mushroom variety (I used Enoki, Porcini, King Trumpet, and Oyster)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
2 shallots, minced (about ¾ cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp, fresh thyme
1 ½ cups arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup thawed frozen peas or chopped green onions
2 TBS parsley, chopped
¾ cup fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
GO FOR IT
WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO:
Rinse and dry mushrooms, then tear and slice into manageable pieces
In a saucepan, heat stock, keeping at a very low simmer
As stock heats, take a separate large sauce pan, pot, or dutch oven and heat 2 TBS over medium heat
Add mushrooms and season slightly with salt and pepper
Cook mushrooms, stirring as they sweat, soften, and reduce in size (about 3-5 minutes), the remove mushrooms and set aside
If pot is dry, add 2 more TBS of olive oil over medium-high heat
Add in minced shallots and stir until soft (about 2 minutes), then add in minced garlic and thyme and stir until fragrant
Add in rice and stir until rice grains begin to crackle and have a pale color (about 3 minutes)
Add in wine and stir until wine is fully absorbed, lowering heat to a medium simmer
One ladle at a time, add your heated stock, stirring frequently until almost absorbed before adding more stock and repeating process until rice is al dente (took me about 25 minutes but can take less time or more time depending on your kitchen)
Once done, remove from heat and add in mushrooms, peas or green onions, parsley, and Parmigiano-Reggiano and stir well, adding any remaining stock that might be left
Taste and add salt and pepper as desired, then serve immediately
NOTES:
Risotto is meant to be a slow process and you may not get things perfect on your first try. That’s alright as you will have some room for error but keep a few things in mind and you can avoid a number of mistakes.
First and foremost, you have to ladle your stock in 1 or 2 ladles at a time or your rice will finish too early and will not become creamy as risotto should be. This will be time consuming but shouldn’t be rushed. That being said, keep things at a medium simmer while cooking the rice. Too much heat will help things go faster but you will burn your rice very easily this way.
As you stir you can take a rest from time to time but don’t wander too far. If you let it, your rice will stick to the bottom of your pan.
While you are waiting for most liquid to absorb before adding more, you don’t want things to get too dry. Risotto needs to be creamy so at the end you are going to have more of a creamy consistency than you would with rice cooked normally. This is why al dente is the perfect point rather than fully done.
Other than that, just make sure you wait til the rice is where it needs to be before stirring in your other ingredients or they’re going to soak up everything and leaves things too mushy.
Lastly, keep in mind that while this dish can be reheated, it will taste much better after it’s first ready. Once it cools, the rice will soak up what juices remain and you will lose some creaminess. It will still taste good but you’ll lose some of what makes risotto so special.
I hope this helps. Good risotto is such a treat and a great way to impress friends.