Risotto con Funghi

Risotto and I have always had a love-hate relationship. I have struggled for years to get the balance right - too much wine, too strong a stock, too many ingredients, too much hope. The list goes on. So in the end I stopped trying. No more stirring continuously, no more adding more stock and no more believing that this time I've got it right. No. I decided that risotto and I weren't made for each other and I sent the Arborio rice to the back of the cupboard and decided the next time I was going to indulge in a stunning risotto was when I was at another's table enjoying someone else's risotto talent.

That moment arrived and I found myself at the home of a beautiful friend of mine who has just arrived in Australia from Italy with her husband.  They came in search of an adventure and a life-changing experience. Interestingly enough, I got one instead.

Paola ushered me into her kitchen and there she gave me a master class in the art of cooking the lightest and creamiest mushroom risotto I've ever tasted. And you know what? It’s a lesson in simplicity…

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 knob       butter

• 2tbs           olive oil

• 1                 clove garlic

• 1 small     handful dried porcini mushrooms

• 200gm       fresh mushrooms

• 350gm       Arborio rice

• 2 glasses white wine -  one for the recipe and one to drink while your stirring

• handful    fresh grated parmesan cheese

• 1.2lt           hot chicken stock

METHOD

• Wipe the mushrooms and then thinly slice them. Finely chop the garlic.

• Place the stock at the back of the stove and on a high enough heat to keep hot but just under simmering

• Place porcini into a bowl and pour hot stock over to cover them and re-hydrate them. Fish them out and chop them roughly. Keep the liquid.

• Sauté the garlic in the olive oil and then add the mushrooms.

• Add the wine - only one glass - and pour yourself the other because you're about to start stirring.

• Allow the alcohol in the pan to evaporate and then add the rice and stir through.

• Add the porcini. Strain the porcini liquid add to the pot. Keep stirring.

• Now start adding the stock a ladle at a time and stir. You want to massage the starch out the rice so you need to keep it moving.

• Allow the stock to be absorbed before you add another ladle full. Keep doing this - it should take up to 30 minutes.

• The rice should be creamy and soft with a slight bite. It's important that the rice is soft,creamy  and wet - you don't want it to be stodgy - so make sure you add enough stock to allow this to happen.

• Take the risotto off the heat, adjust the seasoning and add the knob of butter and parmesan. Stir through, put the lid on and then leave to rest for a few minutes.

• Serve up and delight in simplicity at its best.