Chef notes
To whip up a winning risotto, make sure the dish is always well-seasoned. So let your taste buds fly free!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup loosely packed dried porcini mushrooms
- 4 cups chicken stock (can substitute low-sodium chicken broth)
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- 1 shallot, very finely chopped
- 1 cup finely chopped button mushrooms
- 1 cup finely chopped shiitake mushrooms
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Preparation
1.Soak the porcini in 1 cup hot water until softened, about 20 minutes. Chicken broth can be substituted for flavor in place of the porcini soaked in water. Pull the mushrooms out of the liquid and reserve the soaking liquid. Gently squeeze the mushrooms to remove excess liquid. Chop the porcinis finely and reserve.
2.In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the chicken broth and the reserved porcini liquid (or additional broth).
3.In a large saucepan, heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and shallot, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the button mushrooms, shiitakes, the porcinis, if using, and 1 tablespoon olive oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have released all of their liquid and the pan is almost dry, about 9 minutes.
4.Add the rice and stir to coat. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and cook, and stirring, to toast the rice lightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the wine, and cook, stirring, until most of the wine is gone. Add 1 cup chicken broth, and cook, stirring, until the liquid is absorbed. Add another cup and increase the heat until there are a fair amount of bubbles on the surface (the agitation helps release the starch).
5.Continue to cook, stirring and adding more stock as needed, until the rice is creamy but al dente and flows when poured from a large spoon, about 18 minutes.
6.Take the risotto off the heat and stir in the Parmigiano-Reggiano, the butter, and thyme. Taste the dish because the rice needs to be well seasoned and add additional kosher salt if necessary, to taste.
