Risotto with Mushrooms

By ruthg

Ingredients

• 8-9 cups chicken stock or prepared low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 lb assorted fresh exotic mushrooms, thinly slicced
• 1/2 lb fresh white cultivated mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 2 tsp fresh thyme
• 3 cups (21 oz) Arborio or Carnaroli rice
• 1 cup dry white wine at room temperature
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Details

Adapted from williams-sonoma.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the stock to a simmer. Remove from the heat and add the dried porcini. Soak for 20 minutes. Drain the mushrooms through a sieve lined with a double layer of cheeseloth or a coffee filter, gently pressing against the mushrooms to force out the stock and reserving the stock. Return the stock to the saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Maintain at a gentle simmer over low heat. Chop the porcini and set aside.

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add all the fresh mushrooms and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped porcini, parsley, thyme, and 1/2 cup of the simmering stock and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.

Add the rice to the same pan and stir over medium heat until each grain is translucent with a white dot in the center, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and stir until it is completely absorbed.

Add the simmering stock a ladleful at a time, stirring frequently after each addition. Wait until the stock is almst completely absorbed (but the rice is never dry on top) before adding the next ladleful. Reserve 1/4 cup (2fl oz) stock to add at the end.

When the rice is almost tender to the bite but slightly firm in the center and looks creamy, after about 18 minutes, add the mushroom mixture and a ladleful of stock. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrroms are heated through and the rice is al dente, 2-3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and stire in the burrer and resreved 1/4 cup stock. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve at once.