Risotto ai Porcini

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Put the dried porcini mushrooms in a heatproof bowl, pour over the boiling water, and let them soak for 10 minutes until softened. Lift the mushrooms out with a slotted spoon, squeezing them lightly over the bowl, then chop them roughly. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve lined with kitchen paper or cheesecloth to remove grit; this liquid is precious and gives the risotto its deep porcini flavor.

2. 2

   Combine the strained porcini soaking liquid with the hot vegetable stock in a saucepan and keep it at a gentle simmer. Keep the broth hot but not aggressively boiling; adding cold liquid to risotto slows the rice and can make the texture uneven.

3. 3

   Prepare the remaining ingredients before cooking: make sure the onion is very finely chopped, the butter is cold and diced, the Parmigiano Reggiano is finely grated, and the parsley is chopped. Risotto needs steady attention once started, so mise en place is important.

4. 4

   Warm the extra-virgin olive oil in a wide, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and about half the fine sea salt, then cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent but not browned; browning would make the risotto taste sharper and less delicate.

5. 5

   Add the chopped porcini mushrooms and stir for 1 minute to coat them in the oil. Add the Arborio rice and toast it for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains look slightly translucent at the edges but still white in the center; this helps the rice keep a gentle bite.

6. 6

   Pour in the dry white wine and stir until it has almost completely evaporated, about 2 minutes. The pan should smell aromatic rather than alcoholic before you begin adding broth.

7. 7

   Add the hot porcini broth mixture one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and allowing each addition to be mostly absorbed before adding the next. Continue for 16–18 minutes, adjusting the heat so the rice bubbles gently. The risotto is ready when the grains are creamy on the outside with a slight al dente core, and the texture is loose enough to flow slowly when the pan is shaken.

8. 8

   Remove the pan from the heat. Beat in the cold diced butter, then the Parmigiano Reggiano, stirring vigorously for 30–60 seconds to emulsify the starch, fat, and broth into a glossy finish. Season with the remaining fine sea salt only as needed, and add the freshly ground black pepper.

9. 9

   Fold in the flat-leaf parsley and serve immediately in warm shallow bowls. The risotto should sit in a soft wave rather than a stiff mound; if it tightens before serving, loosen it with a small splash of hot broth.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •Use a wide saucepan rather than a narrow pot so the rice cooks evenly and releases starch efficiently.
• •Do not rinse Arborio rice; the surface starch is essential for a creamy risotto.
• •If you want a richer mushroom flavor, replace 100 ml of the vegetable stock with additional strained porcini soaking liquid from a second small soak.
• •Serve as a first course, or as a vegetarian main with a bitter green salad.

Background