Wild Mushroom Risotto

Yield 6 as a side; 4 as a main

RECIPE Ingredients

Recipe notes

Here's a deliciously easy recipe for creamy risotto with wild mushrooms. Enjoy this earthy and simple dish as either a side or the main event.

RECIPE Preparation

Pour 2 cups of boiling water over the dried morels in a medium bowl. Allow to soften for about 30 minutes. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and reserve the 2 cups of liquid. Strain the liquid through a sieve lined with a paper towel to get rid of any grit. Set aside. Rinse the mushrooms, then dry with paper toweling and rough chop. Set aside.
Trim off and discard ends from Chef’s mix mushrooms. Rough chop and set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium flame, heat the chicken stock with the 2 cups of reserved mushroom liquid, to a bare simmer.
In a heavy Dutch oven, melt the truffle butter and sauté the ventrèche and shallots over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Add the morels and Chef’s mix mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the rice, turning to coat the grains evenly with truffle butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Then add 2 full ladles of the warm chicken stock mixture to the rice, and season with the salt and pepper.
Stir and simmer over low heat until the stock is absorbed, about 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock mixture, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry before adding more of the stock mixture. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 25 to 30 minutes total. When done, the risotto should be thick and creamy and not at all dry. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot with extra cheese for grating.