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Mushroom Risotto
Ingredients
1 liter good chicken stock250ml unwooded Chardonnay
extra boiling water
400g uncooked arborio rice
selection of fresh herbs (rosemary, thyme and parsley work well)
2 stalks lemon grass
1/2 mild red chilli (optional)
I medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 punnet portabellini mushrooms, sliced
few strands of Saffron, soaked in 30ml water
2 cups finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese
2 tablespoons butter
0.5 cup cubed Gorgonzola cheese (optional)
Salt and black pepper to taste
1. Make a herb tea by soaking a bunch of the fresh herbs in the Chicken stock. Crush one of the sticks of lemon grass and add to the tea. Reserve a few sprigs of the herbs to garnish the completed dish.
2. Place the mushroom slices in a pan with a little olive oil, and cook until the mushrooms have lost most of their liquid. Set aside.
3. Chop the remaining stick of lemon grass. Fry the onion, garlic, chilli and lemon grass with a little olive oil, in a deep casserole dish or electric wok, until the onion is translucent. Take care not to burn the garlic. Add the rice and wine and cook over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated, stirring continuously.
4. Now add the herb-infused chicken stock, a ladle at a time, and stir until the liquid evaporates. Repeat this process until all the stock is used up. The rice is soft and sticky, but still has a "bite" to it, when done. If the rice is not done yet when the stock is used up, continue with extra boiling water until the desired consistency is reached.
5. Add the cooked mushrooms to the rice.
6. Remove the dish from the heat. Add the Saffron, grated cheese and butter, and stir through vigorously. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required.
7. If using, scatter the Gorgonzola cubes over the hot risotto, allowing it to melt into the rice. Garnish with the reserved herbs.
Alternatives:
Use vegetable stock instead of chicken for a vegetarian dish.
Use any combination of interesting (non-toxic!) mushrooms you can find. Dried Shiitake mushrooms are very nice, but must be rehydrated in boiling water before using.
Other vegetables can be used instead of mushrooms: roasted peppers, wilted spinach, blanched peas or cubes of cooked butternut.
2. Place the mushroom slices in a pan with a little olive oil, and cook until the mushrooms have lost most of their liquid. Set aside.
3. Chop the remaining stick of lemon grass. Fry the onion, garlic, chilli and lemon grass with a little olive oil, in a deep casserole dish or electric wok, until the onion is translucent. Take care not to burn the garlic. Add the rice and wine and cook over medium heat until the liquid has evaporated, stirring continuously.
4. Now add the herb-infused chicken stock, a ladle at a time, and stir until the liquid evaporates. Repeat this process until all the stock is used up. The rice is soft and sticky, but still has a "bite" to it, when done. If the rice is not done yet when the stock is used up, continue with extra boiling water until the desired consistency is reached.
5. Add the cooked mushrooms to the rice.
6. Remove the dish from the heat. Add the Saffron, grated cheese and butter, and stir through vigorously. Taste and season with salt and pepper as required.
7. If using, scatter the Gorgonzola cubes over the hot risotto, allowing it to melt into the rice. Garnish with the reserved herbs.
Alternatives:
Use vegetable stock instead of chicken for a vegetarian dish.
Use any combination of interesting (non-toxic!) mushrooms you can find. Dried Shiitake mushrooms are very nice, but must be rehydrated in boiling water before using.
Other vegetables can be used instead of mushrooms: roasted peppers, wilted spinach, blanched peas or cubes of cooked butternut.
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