Mushroom Risotto

Serves 4

50 g dried porcini mushrooms 

150 ml Chicken Bone Stock

2 tbsp olive oil 

1 onion, finely chopped 

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

250 g pack chestnut mushrooms, chopped 

300 g risotto rice, such as arborio 

175ml glass white wine 

25 g butter 

Handful parsley leaves, chopped 

50g parmesan or Grana Padano, freshly grated

Method

Place 50 g of dried porcini mushrooms in a large bowl and pour over 1 litre of boiling water. After soaking for 20 minutes, drain the mushrooms, discarding a few tablespoons of liquid. Transfer the stock into the mushroom liquid, gently squeezing the mushrooms to remove any excess liquid.

Next, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a shallow saucepan over medium heat and add 1 finely chopped onion and 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, frying them for about 5 minutes until they soften.

Then, stir in 250 g of chopped chestnut mushrooms and the dried mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook for an additional 8 minutes until the fresh mushrooms become tender. Add 300 g of risotto rice to the pan and cook it for 1 minute. Pouring in a glass of white wine (around 175 ml), I let it bubble until the alcohol evaporates. I keep the pan on medium heat and gradually pour in the stock. While stirring often, let the rice absorb the liquid. repeat this process three more times, adding the same amount of stock each time until the rice is almost cooked. If the rice is still undercooked, add a splash of water and continue stirring until it reaches the desired consistency.

Finally, take the pan off the heat, add 25 g of butter, 25 g of grated parmesan or Grana Padano cheese, and half a handful of chopped parsley leaves. After covering and letting it sit for a few minutes, allowing the rice to absorb any excess liquid, give the risotto a final stir. Serve it in bowls and garnish with the remaining grated cheese and chopped parsley leaves.