Ingredients fir the main dish
- 300g arborio rice
- 500g large flat open cultivated mushrooms
- 60g dried funghi porcini, soaked in 1 litre warm water
- 75g butter
- 1 onion, peeled and very finely diced
- 75g Parmesan, freshly grated
For the stock
- 2 carrots, washed
- 2 celery sticks
- 2 onions, the stalks and peelings from the flat mushrooms
- 2 glasses white wine
- 4 chicken stock cubes
- 1 bay leaf
Cooking Instructions
Peel the mushrooms and de-stalk them, reserving the peelings and stalks for the stock. Slice the caps of the mushrooms finely.
To make the stock do not peel the vegetables. Put them into the processor and chop. Place in a large pan with the mushroom stalks and peelings, wine and stock cubes, add the bay leaf and cover with 4 litres water. Boil vigorously for 1 hour. Sieve and discard the vegetables and return the liquid to the boil until it is reduced by half. Cool and refrigerate, if not using immediately.
To make the risotto, bring the reduced stock to a simmer. Melt half the butter over a medium heat and add the minced onion. Sauté‚ or sweat for 5 minutes, but do not allow to burn. Add the sliced caps of the flats and continue sweating until they collapse and render liquid.
At this point drain the funghi porcini with a slotted spoon or your hand. Do not disturb the remnants of the forest floor sitting sediment-like in the bowl, and do not throw the liquor away. Add the funghi porcini to the mushroom and onion mix, then stir and add the rice. Continue sweating together for a further 5 minutes. While this is happening, carefully sieve the funghi porcini soaking juices through a tea strainer and add to the stock.
Now you can proceed as for the other risotti by adding stock as needed, and only adding a further ladle when the previous lot is completely absorbed. When the rice is done, add the remaining butter and the Parmesan, stir and cover. Leave to rest for 3 minutes and then serve immediately, with more Parmesan offered separately.
Recipe by Alastair Little.
