Dried porcini soaked and their liquor used as stock, with hard-fried chestnut mushrooms folded through at the end.
Prep
15 mins
Cook
35 mins
Servings
4
Per serving
£1.90
Difficulty
medium
A small bag of dried porcini does more for a risotto than any amount of fresh mushrooms. The soaking liquor becomes the backbone of the stock, which is why this tastes far richer than the ingredient list suggests.
Pour 300ml just-boiled water over the dried porcini and leave for 20 minutes. Lift them out, chop, and strain the liquor through a fine sieve into the hot stock, discarding the gritty dregs.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over a high heat and fry the chestnut mushrooms in two batches, 4 to 5 minutes each, until browned. Season and set aside.
A crowded pan gives you grey, boiled mushrooms. Two batches, high heat, and leave them still.
In a wide heavy pan, melt half the butter with the remaining oil and cook the shallots gently for 6 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme and chopped porcini and cook for 2 minutes.
Stir in the rice and toast for 2 minutes, then add the wine and let it bubble away completely.
Add the porcini-spiked stock a ladleful at a time, stirring often, for around 20 minutes, until the rice is creamy but still has a little resistance in the centre.
Fold in three quarters of the fried mushrooms, then take off the heat and beat in the remaining butter and the cheese. Cover and rest for 2 minutes.
Season, and serve with the reserved mushrooms and parsley on top.