porcini risotto.
the creamiest risotto, complimented by earthy porcini broth and salty parmesan. Perfect for date night or as a side to your favorite protein.
Makes: 4 servings Prep time: 05 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes
Risotto, long-renowned for being difficult to make. It’s actually not difficult to make, necessarily, it just requires a lot of time and patience, which is difficult to have. You see, it requires almost 40 minutes of near-constant attention, stirring and pouring and watching. In other words, it’s a good way to test how ready you are to have kids…or how cunningly you can convince someone else to do all that stirring for you.
The most important things to know
Risotto has a few tricks. It’s made with Arborio rice, not just any long grain rice, and the rice is toasted a bit before any liquid is added. The liquid that is added — usually a broth — is heated simultaneously so as to keep the heat in the skillet constant. If the temperature drops, which cold broth would cause, the whole process is interrupted and the rice won’t cook correctly. It’s a delicate balance, but when done right, it’s pretty painless.
Because you’re heating up the broth anyways, it’s super easy to infuse it with flavor, since half the work is already done. For this particular risotto, infuse the broth with porcini by simmering the dried mushrooms until super-soft then straining out. Even if you don’t love mushroom, it’s a good way to have a touch of extra flavor.
Using other mushrooms
I’ll admit, dried mushrooms aren’t the cheapest item, especially compared to their fresh neighbors. You don’t have to use porcini, but the recipe will change a bit. Don’t fuss with boiling fresh mushrooms; it won’t yield the flavor you’re expecting or the umami that fresh mushrooms are known for. Instead, brown the mushrooms with the shallots in the beginning, then keep them in the skillet while you toast and simmer the rice. The best kinds of mushrooms for this are going to be baby Bella or white mushrooms, though you can experiment with any variety that catches your eye.
porcini risotto ingredients
porcini mushrooms: I don’t think I’ve ever seen these sold fresh, to be honest. Even if you have a mushroom gold mine, you’ll want to seek out the dried version, anyways, because hydrating them in the broth is a big part of developing flavor here. Dried mushrooms are always in the produce section, but often in different parts: mostly, they are somewhere near the potatoes and tomatoes, if not somewhere close by the fresh mushrooms. They’re sold in small, lightweight portions, but a small amount will yield plenty of mushroom once hydrated. If you can’t find dried mushroom or want a cheaper option, read my note above about swapping for baby Bellas.
broth or stock: Personally, I think broth and stock are totally interchangeable, assuming you can salt to taste in the end. Stock is supposed to be thicker, but especially for vegetable stock, I think the difference is negligible. Use whatever you have, and season to taste. For vegetarian, use vegetable broth, otherwise feel free to use chicken broth. Don’t have broth on hand at all? You can actually use water, or a mix of water and broth. Since the mushrooms are steeping away, you’ll still have a hearty mushroom broth.
shallot: You can use yellow onion, but shallot is always the way to go for risotto. It’s delicate and sweet, perfect for anything creamy.
garlic: Lots of it. Don’t be shy here.
lemon juice: You might think this is skippable, but I don’t recommend leaving it out. With the dense rice, salty porcini, and heavy cream, you need a little bit of acid to brighten things up. You can also squeeze it on at the end, if things are still too dense.
white wine: I always use sauvignon blanc, a dryish white. You could get away with pinot grigio which is a little sweeter, or chardonnay which is a little drier. You can also use dry vermouth if that’s what you have on hand. If you want to skip the wine, just use a little more broth.
arborio rice: I’d highly recommend using the correct rice for risotto, or your dish just won’t be as creamy. Arborio rice is extra high in starch, and the risotto cooking method releases the starches, making almost like a creamy sauce from the rice. Regular rice is sticky at best and otherwise dry and granular, a very different experience.
heavy cream: Part of me feels like this is cheating, but honestly, it makes a darn good risotto. And I’ve seen chefs whip cream before adding it to risotto, so I don’t feel that bad about adding a splash. It makes the risotto extra creamy and a little saucy, which I love. You can always skip this.
parmesan: I really, really, recommend you grate this fresh, so that it melts cleanly into your risotto. It’s really so much better, but I don’t blame you if you use the pre-grated stuff. Whatever works, really - just make sure to use a lot of it to get that creamy, cheesy, gooey result. Salt to taste after adding the parm, since parmesan will add to the overall flavor quite a bit.
porcini risotto pairing options
Honestly, I’m not sure if risotto is meant to be a main or a side, but I’ve always had it as an accompaniment to other dishes, like tapas or small plates. I find it hard to believe anyone likes that much rice (and nothing else), but, if this works as a main for you, go for it. It’s got all the workings of a full meal, after all.
cornish hens
oily fish, like halibut, sardines, or anchovies
pan-seared broccolini
oaky chardonnay or sauvignon blanc
