Oregon Mushroom Risotto
Serves four
There is absolutely nothing more delicious than this mushroom risotto with our 2007 Gestalt Pinot. This is one of our favorite meatless dinners, which we always prepare together, so one of us can stir while the other sets the table, makes the salad and slices the bread. Of course, we have a glass of Pinot while we work, so making it is almost as enjoyable as eating it! —Ellen Brittan
Ingredients
- 1 oz. Dried Porcini Mushrooms (Oregon Porcinis are great, and much less expensive than the Italian imports)
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 lb. assorted fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or 1 large shallot)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ cups Arborio Rice
- 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
- ¼ cup dry white or red wine
- 6 – 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese
- ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
Pour the boiling water over the dried Porcinis and let steep for at least 15 minutes. Heat the broth and keep warm over low flame. Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbsp of butter and 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a large sauté pan and sauté the mushrooms until they give up their liquid and start to brown. Remove from pan and set aside. Drain the porcinis, pour the soaking liquid through a fine sieve and add it to the hot broth. Chopped the Porcinis and add them to the sautéed mushrooms and set aside.
Using same sauté pan, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp of butter and 3 Tbsp of olive oil and add the chopped onion. Cook onion over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, until translucent (do not brown onion) then add the garlic and sauté one minute longer. Stir in the rice and cook over medium heat until the rice is coated with oil and starts to brown. Then add the wine and fresh thyme. Stir until the wine evaporates, then add 2 ladles of hot broth and continue stirring until all the liquid is absorbed. Continue adding one ladle of hot broth at a time, stirring between each addition, until the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes total. Then stir in the mushrooms and all their juices and add the grated Parmesan. Stir in the cream (optional), then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan to add if desired. Pour a glass of Gestalt Block Pinot and ENJOY!
Leave a comment: