Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Recently I made this dish for a dinner party and everyone loved it.  The woodsy flavor of the porcini mushroom really comes through by incorporating the liquid after soaking them. You can make risotto with other vegetables just by chopping and cooking them well in advance, just as you do here with the mushrooms.

Ingredients:

·       2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms

·       2 packages cremini mushrooms, sliced

·       4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

·       6 cups chicken stock

·       2 tablespoons butter

·       1 small or ½ large white onion, chopped

·       2 cloves garlic, chopped

·       2 cups Arborio rice

·       1 cup white wine

·       1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

·       Salt and pepper to taste

·       Handful of parsley, chopped

Directions:

Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in hot water for at least 30 minutes.  Lift up from liquid so any dirt settles to the bottom, and chop.  Set aside and reserve 1 cup of the liquid.  You can freeze the rest for another use.

Sauté the cremini mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until they are cooked through and the liquid has been released.  Set aside.

Heat chicken stock so it is hot and ready to use in the next step.  Don’t add it when it is cold or the temperature of the dish you are cooking will keep dropping.

In a large, heavy bottomed and high sided pan, heat the remaining olive oil and butter on medium-high heat.  Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook another minute.  Add the rice and stir a few minutes until covered in oil and starting to become clear.  Add the wine and lower the heat to medium-low.  Stir until the liquid is absorbed and add the reserved porcini liquid.  Again, stir until the liquid is absorbed and when you stir you can see the bottom of the pan. Add a cup of the hot stock and stir until absorbed.   Add all of the mushrooms and stir again until evenly blended.  Add more liquid and stir until absorbed, a cup at a time until the rice is cooked through but still has a little bite. Add the cheese and stir well.  This should create a creamy consistency.  Adjust with salt and pepper and serve with a handful of chopped parsley on top. Serve piping hot.

Optional: I find finely chopped rosemary goes really well with the mushrooms.  If you choose to use this herb, add it to the mushrooms when you saute them.