Risotto has always been one of my favorite dishes to order when eating out. Apart from it being rice (carbs makes me happy haha), it usually comes in a yummy mushroom flavor. I love mushrooms, so this dish is a win for me! I learned how to make this at a Rustic Italian cooking class by 25 Mushrooms (by Chef Sari Jorge). And I am super proud because I got it on my first try! It is really easy. You just need to be patient and you need to stir, A LOT! You’ll know what I mean when I explain the instructions to you. Anyway, it is also very fun and it tastes amazing when you do it right. I’ve stopped ordering this in restaurants because I decided that I can make a great batch at home anyway. Try it, this recipe is super!

Ingredients (serves 2-4 pax):

5 cups chicken broth, canned (or you can boil 5 cups of water with 2 Knorr chicken cubes)

1/4 cup Porcini mushrooms (this is essential–you can buy this at Santi’s)

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon shallots or white onions, finely chopped

1/2 tablespoon garlic, chopped

1/2 cup fresh button mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon italian parsley, chopped (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

*

Instructions: 

1. Bring the broth to a simmer in a large saucepan or small stockpot. Add the dried porcini mushrooms, reduce heat, and keep the broth warm over very low heat while you cook the risotto. The mushrooms will flavour the broth as they steep. Then, remove the mushrooms–they will be used for the risotto.

2. In a large heavy pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shallots or onions, porcini mushrooms and sauté until tender, for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and sauté for another 2-3 minutes.

3. Stir in the rice, and let it cook until slightly translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it has absorbed, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low, and add 1 cup of hot broth, stirring rice very frequently until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time and stirring, until rice is al dente. This should take about 30-40 minutes, and you may not need all the broth.

4. Heat some butter and one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add fresh mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms are slightly browned, 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover to keep warm and set aside.

5. When rice reaches the al dente stage, remove from heat and stir in remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, parmesan cheese, mushrooms and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

That’s it! The risotto is done! It takes some time to cook, and it takes A LOT of stirring, but it is well worth the effort!

ENJOY!