Mushroom Risotto
Mains · Serves 4 · Prep 15 min · Cook 40 min · Total 55 min
Risotto is about attention, not difficulty: hot stock, a ladle at a time, and steady stirring for about 20 minutes. Dried porcini give it a deep, woodsy backbone, browned fresh mushrooms bring the texture, and it should flow on the plate like a slow wave.
Ingredients
- 1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 cup boiling water
- 6 cup low-sodium vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, divided (keep 2 tbsp cold)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 large shallot, finely chopped
- 2 clove garlic, minced
- 1 1/2 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Steps
- Soak the porcini in the boiling water for 15 minutes. Lift them out, squeeze them dry and chop. Pour the soaking liquid through a paper towel into a saucepan with the stock, leaving the grit behind. Keep the stock at a bare simmer.
- In a wide, heavy pan, heat 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add the cremini in an even layer with a pinch of salt and leave them alone for 3 minutes, then cook, stirring, until browned and dry, 8 to 10 minutes total. Add the porcini and thyme for 1 minute, then move everything to a bowl.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter, then the shallot, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic for 30 seconds, then the rice, stirring until the edges of the grains turn translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Pour in the wine and stir until it's absorbed. Add hot stock one ladle (about 3/4 cup) at a time, stirring often and adding the next ladle when the pan is nearly dry. Keep going until the rice is tender with a slight bite and the risotto is creamy, 18 to 22 minutes. You may not need all the stock.
- Stir the mushrooms back in during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Take the pan off the heat. Add the 2 tbsp cold butter and the Parmigiano and beat vigorously for 30 seconds until glossy. Add a final splash of stock so it flows when you tilt the pan, then season with salt and pepper. Rest 1 minute and serve with parsley.