Porcini Mushroom Risotto

[karohemd]

For those interested.

Ingredients (enough for two as a main meal or four as a starter. Sorry for the inaccurate measurements but that's how I work)
- two big handfuls of risotto rice (I used Carnaroli)
- big knob of butter
- 2 garlic gloves, finely chopped
- dried porcini mushrooms (obviously you can use fresh ones if you have any)
- about 1l of chicken or vegetable stock
- a generous handful of freshly grated parmesan
- about a heaped teaspoon of dried mixed mediterranean herbs
- you shouldn't need any seasoning as the stock and the mushrooms should provide enough flavour

Method
If you're using dried mushrooms, reconstitute them in hot water and preserve the liquid. Bring the stock to a slow simmer (I added the mushroom liquid as well).
In a thick-bottomed pan, melt the butter and sauté the garlic, mushrooms and rice until the butter is absorbed. Stir in the dried herbs.
Add the stock a ladleful at a time and cook while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the stock is absorbed. Repeat until no more liquid is absorbed or the rice is cooked, about 30 to 40 minutes.
At the end, add the grated parmesan, stir until combined and serve immediately.


The best about cooking a risotto is that you need to take your time which you can use to sample that bottle of wine you opened for its suitedness at the table. ;o)

Comments

[nina321.livejournal.com]

Mmm, looks yummy!

Risotto is the best. My mum makes spam risotto, which is great, except that I'm not a fan of spam. The rest of it is ace though!

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

Spam? Ick!

[a1exxandra.livejournal.com]

mm,risotto!
salmon and rocket risotto is yummy too.

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

That sounds indeed nice.

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

Mmmmmm. I'm hungry again now. I think I have just got over my ick about risotto from when I tried to make risotto with brown rice and tomato stock and gave myself MSG poisoning and then an upset stomach fromeating improperly cooked brown rice. Thank you!

:o)

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

You need a rice with a high starch content like arborio, carnaroli etc. It won't work with regular rice that needs lots of water and brown rice is even worse. You wouldn't get the creamy texture with regular rice, anyway.

Obviously, making your own stock would be the safest option to avoid the MSG issue but not even I go that far. Not yet at least, not until I have a real kitchen and a freezer.

Re: :o)

[omentide.livejournal.com]

I think I should smirk. I did mention the roast chicken?

Roast chicken leads to stock as an inevitable consequence. Mine is simmering away now!

Re: :o)

[karohemd.livejournal.com]

That's exactly what I mean. I don't have an oven so can't make roasts and hence no stock.

Re: :o)

[omentide.livejournal.com]

We rarely use the oven. It will need cleaning tomorrow!

We get bones from the butcher for stock. That said, I tend to make more than we use. I am seriously considering sopa de lima tomorrow. Problem is, last couple of times I've made it, it's been inedibly bitter and I'm not sure why. I think I might have left the lime in for too long.

Re: :o)

[feanelwa.livejournal.com]

It was certainly not creamy when I did it.

The ironic thing is that I did make the stock myself. Normally tomatoes have some MSG in them, just not enough to give me a headache, but in making the stock I obviously must have concentrated it down so that it did >_< still, it's all learning.

[omentide.livejournal.com]

We had chicken.

One day I should tell you how I do chicken, on those rare occasions when we get a whole one. Actually it's straight out of Jamie Oliver with about a cupful of chopped up herbs stuck between the skin and the breast. It's very tactile!

[nevecat.livejournal.com]

Kidney & green pepper make a nice risotto, although that's not to everyone's tastes since it involves offal...