Step-by-Step Recipe: Mushroom Risotto

I'll be honest and admit that I actually prepared this recipe a few weeks ago and just never got around to posting it.  So the mushrooms I used in the recipe may not be easily available, but no matter--any fresh (or maybe even dried) mushroom will do!  I used a mix of your standard white grocery store mushrooms, and some pioppini mushrooms bought at a local farmers' market.  Morels would be a great, though pricey, addition.  Use whatever mushroom is available and suits your budget, so long as it doesn't come from a can or a jar. 

As soon as I saw them, I just new I'd be putting them into a risotto.  I love making risotto--almost as much as I like eating it!  All the stirring is downright therapeutic.  I like it so much that I've even quasi-published my own recipe on the TastyKitchen website for a lemon herb risotto.  The basics are the same for this risotto recipe, but the flavor is much earthier, and it satisfies a totally different craving.

Recipe and pictures below the cut!


First, assemble your ingredients.

 Heat the broth over medium heat.

Prep the mushrooms: mince half and trim/slice the other half as appropriate.  Other than wiping them clean and trimming the ends, I didn't do much to the pioppinis, because I thought they looked cool.

Heat olive oil in large saute pan over medium.  Add sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring, until golden and cooked through 7-10 minutes.  Keep warm.

Melt butter in large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add onions and minced mushrooms.  Cook until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add rice to onions and mushrooms, and raise heat to medium high.  Cook rice, stirring, until translucent around the edges, about 1 minute.

Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low, and start adding broth, one cup at a time, stirring until evaporated.

Keep adding broth, one cup at a time, as the rice soaks it up, stirring continually.  After about 30-35 minutes, the rice will be tender (but not mushy), and it will stop absorbing the broth.

Stir in the Parmesan.

Stir in the parsley, and season to taste.

Serve topped with sliced mushrooms and extra Parmesan.

Mushroom Risotto, recipe by Julie
Time: 45-50 minutes, including prep. Serves: 4-6 (depending whether you serve as a main course or side)

Ingredients

• 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 whole small yellow onion (or one large shallot), finely diced
• 1-¼ cup Arborio rice
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb. fresh mushrooms, such as white button mushrooms or wild mushrooms, such as pioppini
• ½ cups dry white wine
• ½ cups grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1-2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoons fresh ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, bring broth to a simmer over medium heat.
2. Mince half the mushrooms very finely.  Slice the other into bite sizes.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until golden and cooked through, 7-10 minutes. Keep warm.
4. Meanwhile, in a large, straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium, then add onion and minced mushrooms and saute until onion is translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
5. Increase heat to medium-high. Add rice and cook, stirring, until translucent around edges, about 1 minute.
6. Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 2 minutes.
7. Add 1 cup broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring, until broth is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Repeat process, gradually adding broth, until rice is al dente and risotto is creamy (you may not need all the broth), about 35 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan and parsley. Cover and let stand for 2 minutes. Season risotto with salt and pepper. Top with the sliced mushrooms and extra Parmesan.