[RECIPE] Porcini mushroom risotto (ricetta)

A simple to make and delicious dish for you to enjoy. Buon appetito! :)

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 1 cup of Arborio rice (use only Arborio rice as it is made for risotto)

• Half of a white onion (thinly sliced)

• 8 cups of vegetable or mushroom or chicken broth (simmering on a back burner)

• Salt and black pepper

• 4 or 5 medium sized fresh porcini mushrooms (thinly sliced - if not available, then use 3 cups of cremini mushrooms instead of the 2 cups listed below)

• 2 cups of thinly sliced cremini mushrooms

• Pinch of saffron (optional but oh so delicious)

Procedure:

1. In a deep pot, bring the broth to a boil (add a tablespoon of salt if the broth is unsalted) let simmer on medium high on the back burner

2. In a wide (12 inch works great) shallow non stick pan, sauté the thinly sliced onions, thinly sliced cremini mushrooms and a pinch of salt until the onions are translucent (don’t let them brown up as this changes the flavor of the risotto too much)

3. Once the onions are translucent, add the 1 cup of Arborio rice to evenly coat it in the mixture. Add the optional saffron at this point too (the picture will turn yellowish/orangish from the pollen)

4. Little by little, on medium high heat, add one ladle of simmering broth to the rice pan at a time

5. I recommend setting a time for 20 minutes to not loose track of the very sensitive cooking time. Always be at the pan, stirring every so often to make sure the rice mixture doesn’t stick. Add one ladle of broth at a time as you see it evaporate. The mixture should always be rather wet while the rice is cooking

6. Around the 15 minute mark, try a bit of rice to make sure it is becoming nicely al dente (add another pinch of salt and stir well if you feel it needs more seasoning), add one more ladle of broth and add the thinly sliced Porcini mushrooms (they are so delicious, they should be eaten almost raw!)

7. Mix well as this last bit of broth evaporates. The rice should be cooked to al dente at the 20 minute park with almost all of the broth having evaporated (but before the rice starts to stick to the pan… don’t let it so so) ;)

8. Turn off the heat and use a serving spoon to spoon a portion of the risotto onto your plate. The consistency should be moist (not dry) but not too wet either. Juuuuust moist enough that the spoonful settles on its own once you pour it onto the place (see my photographs in this blog for reference)

9. Buon appetito!