Mushroom Risotto

I tried this dish at a seaside cafe in Australia and have been trying to recreate it ever since! On this heavenly plate, creamy rice is mixed with velvety mushrooms and delicately drizzled with olive oil and herbs. After several failed attempts at at concocting a believable copycat, I looked to a higher power: the world wide web. Here's a recipe that takes the cake...or more appropriately put, takes the risotto:

(courtesy of simplerecipes.com)

Mushroom Risotto

• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 45 minutes

The recipe calls for risotto rice, Italian rice varieties that are high in a particular type of starch, with grains that are shorter and fatter than most other rices: Arborio, Carnaroli and Vialone Nano are the most famous varieties. The high starch content of these rices yields a creamy texture when cooked.

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Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 cups flavorful mushrooms such as shiitake, chanterelle, or oyster mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into half inch to inch pieces
• 2/3 cup brandy, vermouth, or dry white wine
• 5-6 cups chicken stock* (use vegetable stock for vegetarian option)
• 1/3 cup of peeled and minced shallots (OR 1/3 cup of yellow or white onion, finely chopped)
• 1 3/4 cups arborio rice or other risotto rice
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or chives

*If cooking gluten-free, use homemade stock or gluten-free packaged stock.

Method

1 Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan.
2 Melt the butter in a deep, heavy, medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and sauté about 5 minutes (if using chanterelles, dry sauté first for a minute or two and let the mushrooms cook in their own juices before adding the butter). Add the rice and stir to combine.
3 Add brandy, bring to a boil, and reduce liquid by half, about 3-4 minutes. Add simmering stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring enough to keep the rice from sticking to the edges of the pan. Stir the rice almost constantly — stirring sloughs off the starch from the rice, making the creamy sauce you're looking for in a risotto. Wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. This process will take about 25 minutes. The rice should be just cooked and slightly chewy.
4 Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or chives.

Yield: Serves 4-6.