I've been trying out meat-free Mondays lately, and it's been fun! Mostly because I enjoy the challenge of developing new vegetarian recipes (with a meat substitute for my husband, who is less inclined towards the vegetarian life!) This risotto has a bunch of different mushrooms in it and they certainly bring enough weight and flavour that you don't even miss the chicken or chorizo that might accompany them! (Of course, feel free to add the chicken or chorizo if it's not Monday...)
Serves 4
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
20g dried porcini mushrooms
Olive oil
1 brown onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
500g fresh mixed mushrooms (Swiss brown, King oyster, cup, button)
2 tbsp butter
2 tsp dried Italian herbs
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 1/2 litres vegetable stock
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to top
Handful hazelnuts, chopped
Method:
Boil the kettle and pour boiling water over the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl. Place a side plate on top if necessary to force the mushrooms into the water. Soak for 15 minutes or until tender.
Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. (Pouring cold stock into a hot pan = mushy risotto!)
Heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened.
Add the mixed fresh mushrooms and the butter. Cook for around 7 minutes until the mushrooms have lost most of their moisture and are dark all over.
Carefully strain the porcini mushrooms, reserving around 1 cup of the soaking liquid (so much flavour!) Beware of the dregs though - they'll likely have gritty sediment left from the mushrooms so don't keep this - toss it out!
Add the porcini to the mushroom mixture, and the soaking liquid to the stock pan.
Add the rice to the mushroom mixture and stir until the grains are all coated in the oil.
Add just enough stock to cover the rice and mushrooms. Let it cook off until it's nearly all evaporated, then repeat. Keep doing this until you have used up all your stock, and resist the urge to stir the risotto - it'll break the grains and they'll go mushy! I like to have the kettle boiled again, just in case my rice is still a bit too al dente after I've used all my stock. Generally I find it's enough, but it never hurts to have some boiling water on hand just to top up.
When your last measure of stock has nearly evaporated, add the parmesan cheese to the pan and gently stir through.
Divide the risotto between bowls and top with some chopped hazelnuts and reserved parmesan.
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