Mushroom Risotto (Risotto ai Funghi)
Risotto is just slow-cooked rice in broth. That’s it. I mean, it’s obviously more than that, but I always thought it was too tricky to cook at home because I've only had the dope risotto chefs at restaurants produce in their fancy kitchens. It also didn’t help to hear my friends say getting the dish's texture correct takes a lot of effort. The truth is, I wrongly built risotto up in my head for so long as this impossibly difficult food to make, thinking that I would only screw up it up if I tried. After all, I spent years of my life burning rice onto the bottom of pots because the stove couldn’t hold my attention.
So when I finally started to cook risotto, I was a bit nervous about the process because making this dish requires constant attention. In actuality, risotto is easy and simple to put together. With a little bit of patience, frequent stirring, and around a half-hour of your time, you can create an incredibly rich, smooth, and creamy risotto that you won’t soon forget.
Prepping my mise en place so I can put all my focus on stirring for the next 30 minutes!
When using dried mushrooms, soak and rinse, then soak and rinse again lest you want a mouth full of grit
My favorite risotto is mushroom risotto, followed by a seafood version, but I’ll be cooking the former for this post because I felt like having something earthy smothered in cheese and butter for dinner. This recipe is full of delicious umami and an intense, mouthwatering mushroom flavor. I like to use dried porcini because they have a more pungent and concentrated mushroom taste than the fresh ones do. However, when working with dried mushrooms, you need to rigorously rinse and soak them a few times to rid the mushrooms of their sand. Imagine spending a bunch of time and effort preparing a perfectly silky risotto only to finally sit down, take a bite, and discover gross crunchy grit in your meal. It sucks, so always properly soak and rinse this ingredient to remove the hidden grit before preparing your meal.
If this process is a bit too much or worrisome for you, go with wild, shiitake, crimini, or white mushrooms and forget the previous paragraph. It’s true, dried mushrooms have a more robust flavor, but mixing different types of mushrooms builds more depth of flavor, so go with whatever kind you feel like using in your risotto. I guarantee the meal will still taste great no matter which mushroom you decide to use.
Also, feel free to include some tasty additions that will complement the mushrooms, like sausage, chicken, or whatever protein you like to eat. You will still have to cook those ingredients separately and then put them in, but there are many ways to personalize risotto and make it unique and I encourage everyone to create a meal that’s special to them. Don’t be intimidated by risotto like I was before I first made it! As long as you slowly add in the broth, mind the temperature, and stir frequently, it will be smooth sailing from there!
Cooking the mushrooms separate and then putting them back in later on keeps them from getting too mushy
What is an Italian recipe without the famous soffritto added to its base?
Add in the wine after the rice turns a bit translucent. It’s acidity will help cut through the richness of the dish and gives balance to the meal
Put the mushrooms in towards the end before the rice is finished so they don’t over cook
Dump the cheese and parsley in at the last minute
Little darlin', stir it up
The secret to creating a creamy texture for this recipe is to slow cook Arborio rice on low heat, letting the grains absorb all the broth before adding in more to dissolve over time. As the high amounts of starch release into the rice, causing it to thicken as it cooks, you create the signature, tender consistency that risotto is known for possessing. Frequently stirring the rice is important because it helps generate starch when the grains rub together, and ultimately that’s how you achieve the perfect texture that will both spread and stick together at the same time.
If you’re interested in having red wine with dinner, because why the hell not, I would go with Barolo or Pinot Noir. However, if you’re into white wines, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, or Riesling would pair well, too.
If I could eat this for dinner every night of the week I would!
Ingredients
1lb of porcini mushrooms
1 cup of Arborio rice
4 cups of chicken stock (or two bouillon cubes in 4 cups of water)
1/2 cup of white wine
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons of fresh thyme
1/3 cup of Parmigiana-Reggiano
1/2 cup of Pecorino-Romano grated cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Cooking Instructions
Soak and rinse the dried mushrooms in room temperature water for 20-35 minutes, making sure to repeat this process a few times so the grit washes away. If you’re using fresh mushrooms, disregard this step
Heat chicken stock in a pot on medium-low heat, reducing the temperature to a simmer just before it boils
In a large skillet, heat the oil on medium and add in the mushrooms, stirring occasionally and cooking for 5-7 minutes until they are tender. Remove the mushrooms and set them aside for later
On medium-high heat, add in butter and the shallot, cooking for 2 minutes or until the shallot has softened
Add in garlic and sauté for about 1 minute
Add in rice, stirring for around 3 minutes
Add in the thyme and bay leaves, pouring in the wine, and cook for 2 minutes, so it reduces, stirring frequently
Reduce the heat to medium-low and add in a half cup of broth at a time, waiting for it to absorb before adding any more liquid. Stir frequently for around 25 minutes or until the rice is al dente
Add in the mushrooms, the parsley, the cheese, and stir, cooking for around 3-5 minutes
Salt and pepper to taste and garnish with more cheese to serve. Remove the bay leaves before eating
