Porcini Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

• 1 Large - sweet onion – chopped 1.5 cups - Arborio Rice
• 2-3 Tablespoons - extra virgin olive oil 1 cup - dry white wine 
• 4-5 Large cloves garlic – chopped 2 Tablespoons - Unsalted butter
• .5 oz – 1 oz Package of dried porcini mushrooms ½ Cup - freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 6-8 Cups - chicken broth or stock ½ Cup - chopped fresh parsley
• 1 lb. - Cremini and shitake mushrooms roughly chopped Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Warm the chicken broth or stock in a separate pot.  Keep the warm broth near the pan you are going to use for the risotto.  You are going to ladle the broth into the risotto a couple of ladles at a time during the cooking process.

Rehydrate the porcini mushrooms in a small pot by covering it with some of the chicken broth.  Heat the porcini and broth. As soon as it begins to boil remove from the heat and let it seep in the hot liquid for 20-30 minutes.  Remove the porcini from the liquid carefully with a fork, chop them and set aside.  Reserve the liquid for later as you will add it to the risotto.  

Heat 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-10 minutes stirring frequently until onion is softened, but not turning brown.  Add in the chopped garlic after the first 5 minutes and allow to cook with the onion for another 5 minutes or so.  Add in the chopped cremini and shitake mushrooms with a little more olive oil as needed.  When the mushrooms have softened add in the Arborio rice and stir the ingredients together in the pan to coat the rice; season with salt and pepper and cook until the rice is slightly translucent.  Add the white wine and stir until almost all the liquid has cooked off.  Drop the heat to a low flame.  You want this to cook slowly.  Add hot stock or broth a ladleful at a time enough to cover the rice, completely stirring in the liquid each time.  Keep adding broth as needed so there is always about ¼” of liquid over the rice.

After about 15 minutes of cooking add in the chopped reserved porcini mushrooms.  When you are ready for the next round of liquid add in the reserved porcini broth.  You will pour this through a cheese cloth or strainer because there will be debris or dirt from the dried porcini.  Continue stirring.  After about another 5-10 minutes taste to adjust seasoning and to see if the rice is close to done.  When the rice is just about done you can add just a little liquid to allow the rice to finish cooking.  When the rice is done add the butter and turn the heat off.  Stir in the butter and chopped parmesan cheese.  Finish with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.  You can reserve a little chopped parsley as a garnish for the plate.

Tip: You want to serve this immediately or it can get dense in the pan if it sits for too long.