Wild Porcini Mushroom Risotto
INGREDIENTS (serves 6 people):
250 g fresh porcini mushrooms, thinly sliced or frozen porcini mushrooms 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and cutted in 2
20 g finely chopped Italian Parsley
2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 liter of good vegetable or chicken stock
1 small onion, chopped
250 g of Italian rice for risotto (or Arborio Rice or Carnaroli Rice or Vialone Nano Rice, but not other rice)
salt
Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano cheese, freshly grated (about 50 g)
DIRECTIONS
Clean the porcini by brushing away any dirt. Wipe the mushrooms with a slightly damp paper towel. Do not immerse them in water!!! Heat the evoo (3 tablespoons) in sauteé pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden for 3-4 minutes (please be careful not to burn the garlic!!!), then discard it. Add the porcini mushrooms and cook, about 5-7 minutes. Then season the porcini mushroom with salt and stir with freshly chopped Italian Parsley and set the pan aside.
For the risotto
Bring the stock to a simmer in a pan and keep hot. In a risotto pan (or non-stick sauce pan) heat the evoo (3 tablespoons) and cook the onion over medium-high, until is translucent. Add the rice and stir with a wooden spoon (I use a special wooden spoon for risotto) to coat the rice very well with evoo and onion. Turn the heat to medium-high, add a ladle of hot stock, and stir very well and constantly. As soon as the stock is evaporated, add another ladle of stock and stir until it's absorbed. Continue adding stock at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until the stock is absorbed and until the rice is creamy and tender, with each grain still distinct and firm (al dente), at least 20 minutes (but maybe as long as 25 minutes or more depending on your sauce pan. If the rice is stil a bit hard in the middle and the stock is finished, add more hot water at a time. The rice must be tender but firm and the misture must be creamy. Remove the sauce pan from the heat and stir with the cooked porcini mushrooms (not a room temperature but hot, but keep a few tablespoons for the presentation), butter and Parmigiano reggiano cheese or Grana Padano cheese (only Italian Parmesan....). Cover the sauce pan and let rest for a few minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve immediately. Each portion with a few tablespoons of porcini mushrooms on the top and if you like more freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese
Buon Appetito!!!!!!