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Main Course: Wild Mushroom Risotto ...
If you have any Italian friends you'll find that this Risotto will go down particularly well with them; it really is full of flavour and has a delightful creamy texture. It is so simple that if you are just starting of cooking vegi meals this is almost foolproof.
You'll need:
- A small pack (approx. 3/4 oz, 18 g) of dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- A knob of butter (for a vegan version, use an extra tbsp. of olive oil instead)
- 1 medium onion, sliced
- 1 stick of celery, chopped
- 4 - 6 fresh brown cap or chestnut mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
- 1 cup (5½ oz, 165 g) arborio rice
- Up to 1½ cups (12 fl oz, 260 ml) vegetable stock or water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Start by selecting the right kind of rich. I find that a medium-grain Italian arborio variety is ideal for this recipe.
Begin by putting the dried mushrooms in a bowl and covering with warm water. Leave to stand for about half an hour.
Heat the oil and butter in the pan. Add the onions, celery and fresh mushrooms. Cook for five minutes.
Stir in the rice. Cook gently for a few more minutes until the individual rice grains are coated with the oil.
Add the dried mushrooms, along with the water they were soaking in. Bring to the boil and simmer gently with the lid on the pan.
As the liquid is absorbed, add a little of the stock or water. Continue to simmer. Proceed in this way, adding a little stock at a time, until the rice is tender (about 20 minutes).
Add more stock as necessary to prevent the mixture from getting too dry, or remove the cover and simmer rapidly to get rid of any excess stock. Add salt and pepper to taste.
A large pan with a solid base and a tight fitting lid will hold the heat well and keep all the flavour in.