Risotto con Funghi
If you have never experienced the Italian version of rice extraordinaire then brace yourself! Italian rice with wild mushrooms has definitively got to be the most exciting food experience since your escape from Uncle Ben. Not that Uncle Ben was a bad guy, he just didn't get out of his back yard, never mind biking through Italy! The most confusing issue about cooking arborio rice is just that, the cooking process. Unlike the North American version of rice where 1 cup of rice, 2 cups of water is the everyday version of boring rice, this Italian version is incomparable!
Ingredients:
8 -10 cups chicken stock (we prefer Major's because it does not contain MSG)
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 medium onion, diced fine
2 cups Superfino or Canaroli arborio rice
1 cup white wine
3/4 cup wild mushrooms, such as boletos, cepes, morel, forest mushrooms, soaked in very hot water
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated or shaved parmesan cheese
Sea salt to taste
Fresh pepper to taste
Method:
1. Cover the mushrooms with hot water and let them soak for 30 minutes. Drain, squeeze dry, chop and set aside.
2. Heat the chicken stock to just the below the boiling point. Keep it at this temperature the entire cooking time. Meanwhile, in a big saucier or soup pot, melt the butter, add the rice and let it cook until the rice becomes transparent, about 8 minutes. You must stir the whole time.
3. Once the rice is transparent, add the white wine and stir until the wine is absorbed. Once the wine has been absorbed, begin adding the stock one ladle full at a time. As soon as the stock has been absorbed, add the next ladle. It is important that the liquid is absorbed before adding more.
4. Add the mushrooms to the rice mixture. The secret of making an incredible risotto is that you must stir the entire time. Continue to add the stock, one ladle at a time and stirring consistently. The process of adding stock and stirring should take about 20 minutes.
5. The rice is cooked when it is still firm when bitten but not too soft or mushy.
6. Just before serving, add the last tablespoon of butter and the parmesan cheese, stir and serve.
