Wild Mushroom Risotto
Wild Mushroom Risotto
This recipe is from Anne Burrell and there are 2 really good videos of her making it: one from her show Secrets of a Restaurant Chef (Episode: The Secret to Risotto) which you can only see if you have a subscription to Discovery+; the other version is her presenting at the Food & Wine event (link: https://youtu.be/IBXkVPbVtG8?si=NUTWfbPvBLz0b_hm).
Equipment
- 1 small sauce pan use this to heat the water for the dried mushrooms
- 1 large sauce pan use this to heat the stock for the risotto
- 1 large sautoir you need the largest one you have for the risotto
- 1 large sauteuse (saute) pan use this to cook down the mushrooms
- 1 food processor to make the mushroom puree
- 1 large glass bowl use this to rehydrate the mushrooms
- 1 slotted spoon use this to remove rehydrated mushrooms from hot water
- 1 small ladle use this to add some of the mushroom stock to the rehydrated mushrooms (without making the mixture soupy)
- 1 large ladle use this to add stock to the risotto
- 1 wooden spoon use this to stir everything
- 1 tasting spoon to check all the yumminess
Ingredients
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- 1.5 pounds assorted fresh mushrooms (shitake, oyster, cremini)
- kosher salt
- 1 cup dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 small onion, diced You don't want more than 1½ cups (and maybe even just a cup – need to test)
- 2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 2 cups dry white wine Sauvignon Blanc works great
- 6 cups chicken stock (no salt or low sodium) save any extra to help reheat leftovers the next day
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ cup grated Parmigiano
- ½ cup chopped chives
Instructions
Mise en Place
- Do not smash the garlic until you are ready to start cooking! You want all that juicy goodness to go into the oil.
- Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add dried mushrooms to glass bowl. Pour hot water over the mushrooms and leave to soak while you do other prep. Save the small sauce pan – you can use it to keep the mushroom stock warm if necessary.
- Slice all the mushrooms (reserve stems for other cooking needs or discard). Don't skimp on the mushrooms – they will cook way down.
- Dice the onion. Set aside.
- Chop the chives. Set aside.
- Measure out the rice, white wine and Parmigiano and set to one side to have at the ready.
- Bring the stock to a boil and reduce heat (can reduce the heat down to warm on our stove).
Prepare Your Mushrooms
- Coat a large saute pan generously with olive oil and add the smashed garlic cloves (you will add the garlic to the cold pan; the garlic will perfume the oil as it heats up). Bring to a medium-high heat.
- When the garlic cloves have begun to brown and are very aromatic remove and discard them.
- Add the assorted fresh mushrooms to the pan and season with salt (don't worry if the pan looks crowded). Saute the mushrooms until they are soft and pliable (about 15-20 minutes). Turn off the heat and reserve (if the mushrooms look a little oily, put them on a paper towel to drain).
- While the mushrooms are cooking in the pan, you can start working on the rehydrated mushrooms.
- Using your hand or a slotted spoon, carefully scoop the porcini mushrooms out of the hot water and add to the food processor.
- Ladle in a small amount of the mushroom water and puree to make a smooth mushroom paste (if the puree is too thick and chunky add a little more mushroom water).
- Carefully ladle the top ⅔ of the mushroom water into the small sauce pan and reserve for use while making the risotto. Discard the bottom third. It contains a lot of sand and dirt from the mushrooms.
Make the Risotto
- Coat a large sautoir abundantly with olive oil. Add the onions and season generously with salt. Bring the pot to medium-high heat. Cook the onions, stirring frequently until they are very soft and aromatic but have no color (7-10 minutes). Don't rush this – you don't want crunchy onions in your risotto!
- Add the rice and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook the rice for 2-3 minutes to toast, stirring frequently.
- Add the wine to cover the surface of the rice and stir frequently until it has completely absorbed (you will start to feel the rice sticking to the bottom of the pan).
- Add the reserved mushroom water and then add chicken stock until the liquid ahs covered the surface of the rice. Stir frequently until the stock has absorbed into the rice. Repeat this process 2 more times. Check for seasoning – you will need to add more salt!
- During the third addition of stock, add the reserved sauteed mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of the pureed porcini mushrooms.
- When the stock has absorbed into the rice and the rice is cooked but still al dente, remove the pot from the heat.
- Add the butter and cheese and whip until well combined. This will set the perfect consistence of the rice. The rice should flow and not be able to hold its shape and look very creamy. Add the chives and serve immediately.