macey's mushroom risotto
There is something truly comforting about risotto. A simple, peasant-like ingredients list can be found in almost any pantry. Don't be fooled by its simplicity, risotto is delicious enough to serve up to friends or tuck in on a cool night with the cat.
ingredients:
makes 6 servings
- 6 to 7 cups chicken, vegetable or garlic stock
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onion, or 2 shallots, minced
- ¾ to 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned if necessary and torn or sliced into smaller pieces if thick (small wild mushrooms should be left whole)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or chopped sage
- 1 ½ cups arborio or carnaroli rice
- ½ cup dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
directions:
- Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan.
- Heat oil in a wide, heavy nonstick skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add onions or shallots and cook gently until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Turn up heat and add mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until they begin to sweat, about 3 minutes, then add garlic and herbs. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Season mushrooms with salt and pepper and continue to cook over medium heat until they are soft. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add rice and stir until grains begin to crackle. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine is no longer visible in pan. Stir in enough simmering stock to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly. Cook, stirring often and vigorously, until stock is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of stock and continue cooking, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when rice is almost dry, for 15 minutes.
- Rice should be tender all the way through but still al dente. Taste now and adjust seasoning.
- Add another ladleful or two of stock to rice. This will make it creamy. Stir in parsley and Parmesan, and remove from heat. Season with black pepper and serve right away in wide soup bowls or on plates.