Recipe: Mushroom Risotto

After yesterday's Rice Tips feature, that got us thinking: What about some delicious risotto? So that's what we're giving you today: a delicious mushroom risotto.

Ingredients

• 2 bay leaves
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 sprigs fresh parsley leaves
• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed in mesh strainer under running water
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 1 1/4lbs medium cremini mushrooms, wiped clean with paper towel, stems removed, and caps cut into sixths
• 2 medium onions finely chopped
• salt
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 1/8 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
• 2 ounces parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• ground black pepper

Tie together the bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and parsley sprigs with kitchen twine. Bring the bundled herbs, porcini mushrooms, chicken broths, soy sauce, and 3 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mushrooms have softened and fully hydrate. Remove and discard the herb bundle, then strain the broth in a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Return the liquid to the saucepan, then finely mince the porcini and set aside. Keep the broth over a low heat.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it's done foaming, add the cremini mushrooms, 1 cup onions, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir occasionally until the moisture from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms are well browned. Stir in the garlic until fragrant, then transfer mushrooms to an oven-save bowl and keep in the oven. Turn the heat off, add 1/4 cup water to the empty skillet and scrape with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Transfer the water from the skillet into the saucepan with the broth.

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Once it's done foaming, add the last cup of onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir occasionally until onions are softened and translucent. Add rice and cook, stirring frequently until the edges of the rice are transparent. This should take four minutes. After that, add the wine and stir frequently until the rice absorbs the wine. Add the procini and 3 1/2 cups broth. Stir every 2 to 3 minutes for the next 10 minutes or so. Add an additional 1/2 cup broth every 2 to 3 minutes . When the rice is cooked through but grains are somewhat firm at the center (about 10 minutes), stir in the last tablespoon of butter then stir in the mushrooms and any accumulated juices, parmesan, and chopped parsley. Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Comments

[Rick Locke]

I make this dish with the addition of dried morels. Adds a real nutty, earthy flavor! And add asparagus tips roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper for 20 min. in a 400 degree oven. My favorite spring(or anytime)meal!

[Jamal]

So happy you tried these! I totally know what you mean about lodinag up on them at the olive bar and it gets expensive! I love the yellow pepper these look great! I think our mushrooms are on sale at Publix this week, may have to make another batch!xo[]