Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock in a saucepan and keep it at a low simmer. Hot stock is essential — cold stock cools the risotto and shocks the rice.

2. 2

   Slice 1 lb of mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, or a mix) into ¼-inch slices. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a wide heavy pan over medium-high. Add mushrooms in a single layer, don't move them for 4 minutes (deep browning is essential), then stir and cook another 3 minutes. Salt them at this point, not earlier. Transfer to a plate.

3. 3

   In the same pan, melt 2 more tablespoons of butter. Add 1 finely chopped onion and cook 5 minutes until soft. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, cook 30 seconds.

4. 4

   Add 1.5 cups of Arborio (or carnaroli) rice. Stir to coat in butter for 2 minutes until the edges look slightly translucent. Pour in ½ cup of dry white wine and stir until absorbed.

5. 5

   Add hot stock 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding more. This takes about 18-20 minutes total. Test the rice at the 18-minute mark — it should be tender but still have a slight bite (al dente).

6. 6

   Off heat, stir in the cooked mushrooms, 3 tablespoons of butter, ½ cup grated Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme, salt and pepper. Cover for 2 minutes — this is the mantecatura, the final emulsification. Stir vigorously. Serve immediately on warm plates with extra Parmesan.