Risotto has a reputation for being demanding and I want to gently push back on this. Yes, it requires your presence at the stove for thirty minutes. But it's a quiet, rhythmic kind of cooking that I actually find relaxing — you stir, you add stock, you stir again, you have a glass of wine. This is my version of mindfulness.
The key principles: toast the rice properly in the fat before adding any liquid, add the stock ladle by ladle rather than all at once, and don't overcook it. Al dente is the goal — the rice should have a tiny bit of bite at the centre. Finish it with cold butter and parmesan stirred in off the heat, which gives the risotto that glossy, silky consistency.
For the mushrooms: a mixture of types gives more complex flavour. Dried porcini soaked in hot water and added with their soaking liquid (strained) adds a deep, earthy intensity that is worth the extra step. My family has always eaten this and asked for more. It is also, quietly, completely vegetarian.
"Toast the rice first. Always toast the rice first. That's where the flavour starts."
Ingredients
- 400g arborio or carnaroli rice
- 400g mixed mushrooms (portobello, shiitake, button), sliced
- 20g dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 litre hot vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 150ml dry white wine
- 60g cold butter, cubed
- 80g parmesan, grated
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper, extra parmesan and fresh herbs to serve
Method
Step 1
Soak the porcini in 200ml boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid (strain to remove any grit). Add the porcini liquid to the hot stock. Chop the soaked porcini roughly.
Step 2
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan. Cook the fresh mushrooms in batches over high heat until golden. Season and set aside. In the same pan, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Cook the onion and thyme for 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
Step 3
Add the rice and toast, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until translucent at the edges. Pour in the wine and stir until absorbed. Begin adding the hot stock a ladleful at a time, stirring continuously and only adding the next ladle once the previous one is absorbed. This takes 20–25 minutes.
Step 4
When the rice is al dente and the stock is used up, stir in the porcini and three-quarters of the cooked mushrooms. Remove from heat. Add the cold butter and parmesan and stir vigorously until melted and silky. Season well. Serve topped with remaining mushrooms and extra parmesan.
