Mushroom Risotto

This is one of the very first risotto dish I’ve learned 13 years ago. Risotto is a north Italian rice dish cooked in broth to a creamy consistency. Properly cooked risotto is rich and creamy but still with some resistance or bite: al dente, and with separate grains. There are many variations of risotto – chicken, seafood, asparagus, etc. But mushroom is my top favorite.
Ingredients:
1 punnet brown button mushroom – sliced
Few pieces dried Porcini mushroom – soaked in water
1 small yellow onion – minced
1/2 cup Arborio rice
1 knob of butter
1 bay leave
Dash of nutmeg powder
Splash of white wine
1 1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable stock + 1 cup water (mixed together)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 knob cold butter – diced
Parmesan or Pecorini cheese – grated

Serves 2

Recipe source: My Italian friend (who happens to be a chef)

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Using my trusty Cusineart food processor to mince the onion

Using my trusty Cuisinart food processor to mince the onion

Melt the butter in a deep pan or skillet. Add in the onions and dash of nutmeg powder and sweat them for a minute.

Do not burn the onions

Add in the rice and stir it around the pan. Once the butter has coated the rice thoroughly, add in the white wine, mushroom, follow by some of stock, just enough to cover the rice.

Maintaining the heat at high, stir the rice constantly. When the stock is almost evaporated, add in some more again and repeat the same process. It should take about 20 minutes for the rice to be cooked.

Season with salt and pepper and taste. Turn off the heat and add in the cold diced butter and stir vigorously. At this point, you should be able to attain the creamy consistency. Stir in the grated cheese.