Do you know how to make a perfect risotto? I'm not talking about cooking just any rice and mushrooms; we want to cook an authentic mushroom and cheese risotto. Mushroom risotto is one of the most delicious first courses of Italian cuisine, perfect for lunch or dinner on a special day. Although it looks like an elaborate dish, actually this recipe is really easy to make. The secret to the success of this risotto here is the flavour of some dried porcini mushrooms, although any mushrooms will do.
The result? A creamy risotto that is really hard to resist! As a final touch I give a note of freshness with a lot of chopped parsley. I guess it's no secret to anyone, but mushrooms and parsley make a perfect marriage! Mushroom risotto is a healthy and rich dish that requires few ingredients for its preparation and with which you will receive a high score as a host. It is a very Mediterranean recipe and yes, as you may have deduced, it is of Italian origin.
Usually classic risotto recipes use fungi porcini, the traditional mushrooms of Italian cuisine, but as they are not always easy to get. In this recipe, I have substituted them for mushrooms which are more accessible and cheaper and an ingredient with which you are surely more familiar. The result is equally tasty.
The main secret of the risotto, be it mushroom risotto, cheese risotto or any other variety (you will know that the combinations of ingredients are almost infinite) is that the rice is al dente and creamy By the way, do you know all the varieties of rice and how they are classified?
It is essential to choose the most suitable risotto rice. In the supermarkets you will find a special rice, although you can use a normal round or short grain rice, which are the varieties that will better absorb the broth and will bring more smoothness to your dish. Don't forget to pay special attention to the cooking, which must be balanced; risotto rice must not be either liquid or dry. And to give that touch of blue cheese will mark a bit of flavor. If your guests are cheese lovers, they will love it, I assure you!
One last recommendation before I let you get going? Take it easy and concentrate. Dishes like this mushroom and cheese risotto require little preparation time and some love. You can see that later in every bite.
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
knob of butter
250g porcini mushrooms
3 shallots, finely diced
1 large garlic clove, finely diced
350g risotto rice
200ml white wine
800ml vegetable stock
150ml double cream
80g blue cheese, crumbled
small handful fresh parsley, finely chopped
Instructions:
2 Melt the butter with a 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the porcini mushrooms and fry until golden, then remove and set aside.
Add one ladle of stock to the pan and stir until it is fully absorbed. Add another ladle of stock and repeat process until all you have used all of the stock. The rice should be al dente after about 20 minutes.
Remove from, heat stir through the cream and season well with salt and black pepper. Fold through the mushrooms, blue cheese and garnish with parsley.
