Wild Mushroom Risotto

This creamy risotto is full of so much depth and flavor… and making this dish is not as “hard” as it’s cracked up to be.  It’s totally a meal on it’s own, or great in a small dose as a tasty side.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cloves of garlic, whole but smashed with the heel of your hand
• 3 shallots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chives, chopped
• 1  1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 lb. various mushrooms (I usually use a mix of 2 different kinds – you can use whatever you like: cremini, oyster, shitake, baby portabella), cleaned and sliced
• 1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 cups of boiling hot water to rehydrate them
• 1/2 cup powdered Parmesan cheese
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (one you would drink)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

HOW TO MAKE IT

• Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in 2 cups of boiling water and set aside for 30 minutes
• After 30 minutes, remove the porcini mushrooms and puree them in a food processor – set aside
• Pour the remaining water (mushroom stock) through a coffee filter or paper towel – sediment and sand will have settled on the bottom and you don’t want to eat that; put the mushroom stock on reserve, if it’s not quite 2 cups anymore add water to make it 2 cups
• Pour 4 cups of chicken stock plus the 2 cups of mushroom stock into a small pot and bring to a simmer
• Heat the olive oil in a medium heavy bottomed pot and add in the 3 cloves of garlic
• Saute the garlic until it’s very fragrant and beginning to brown, then remove
• Add the mushrooms and 3 tbsp of butter into the flavored oil, saute until the mushrooms are tender – about 5 minutes, then set aside in a separate bowl
• Add the chopped shallots into the pot you used for the mushrooms and saute with the remaining 3 tbsp of butter for about 5 minutes
• Add the cooked mushrooms (and all the liquid) to the shallots and then add in the rice – mix well coating the rice thoroughly
• Pour in the white wine and cook for about 2 minutes
• Add in 2 ladles of the chicken/mushroom stock to the mixture and season with salt and pepper – stir and simmer over low heat for 5-10 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed
• Mix in a heaping tbsp of the porcini mushroom puree
• Keep adding in 2 ladles of the chicken/mushroom stock at a time, stirring every few minutes – add in a heaping tbsp of the pureed porcini mushrooms each time as well
• Continue until the rice is cooked through – you want it to be tender but ‘al dente’ and not mushy
• This whole process should take about 25-30 minutes and you will use all of the liquid
• When it’s done, the risotto will be creamy and thick, but not at all dry
• Off the heat, pour in the Parmesan cheese and mix well
• Lastly, add in the chopped chives and stir