If you’re looking for a delicious indulgence this fall and winter you must make this earthy, wild mushroom risotto. It’s rich and creamy and highlights the flavors of mixed wild mushrooms. The mushrooms add a meaty texture that mingle with butter, white wine, garlic, shallots and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
For my risotto I used two types of wild mushrooms, shiitake and porcini. The porcini were dried so I had to rehydrate them in a bowl with hot water for around 15 to 30 minutes. I then removed the softened porcini and strained the liquid of any grit and added it to the other broth that I was using.
Wild mushrooms are fairly easy to find these days, I got my dried porcini on line, but you don’t have to used dried porcini, you can just go with shiitake, oyster, beech and chanterelles when in season, and even crimini. If you live near a Costco I always see a Chef’s sampler of assorted wild mushrooms in a container you can buy as well.
I roasted half of my mushrooms because I wanted them more drier and slightly crispy to layer on top for garnish, into the oven at around 375 but watch them so they don’t overcook. The other half are sautéed in the cooking process to be mixed and mingled in with the rice.
Rich and velvety, each bite is pure comfort!
- 1-1/2 lb of a mix of wild mushrooms such as rehydrated dried porcini, shiitake, oyster and beech, you can also use crimini
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- fresh thyme
- 1- ⅓ cups arborio rice
- ½ cup good white wine
- 1 stick or a little less of unsalted butter
- 1 quart stock, you can use warmed mushroom, chicken or vegetable
- a generous handful of freshly grated Parmigiano
- salt and pepper to taste
- chopped parsley for garnish
- NOTE* I used 1 small bag of dried porcini that I rehydrated in hot water 15-20 minutes until soft, then removed mushrooms and strained liquid of any grit then added the remaining liquid to my other stock. Omit this step if not using dried porcini.
- Remove stems from shiitake's, (they're to hard) then slice the tops along with the other sliced or torn mushrooms.
- Roast half the mushrooms at 375 til golden and slightly crispy in a bit of olive oil, salt and. pepper, watch them closely as not to burn, set aside.
- Warm up your stock in a small pan and have a ladle ready.
- Add 4 Tablespoons of butter into a heavy bottomed wide mouth pot that's good for making risotto.
- Saute the remaining mushrooms in the butter until tender.
- Add the shallots, garlic and a teaspoon or so of fresh thyme, stir til softened.
- Add the arborio rice and toast it up for a minute or two.
- Deglaze with the white wine.
- On medium low heat start to add the stock ladle by ladle and stirring until you see the stock absorbing the rice, then add another ladle of stock continuing to stir until absorbed and most of the stock is gone.
- When the rice is tender but still al dente, turn off the heat, add a little more butter stir it in with a good handful of freshly grated Parmigiano.
- Top with all the roasted wild mushrooms that you set aside and garnish with parsley.
- Taste for goodness to your liking.
- Finish with a light drizzle of good olive oil.
- Enjoy!
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
