Mushroom risotto

This is a very quick and easy risotto recipe – i’ve served it this time with pan fried cod, but it works just as well on it’s own.  A good risotto should be creamy and not too stodgy – add enough liquid so the rice is cooked (yes it will take a while), and it moves a little on the plate – you’re not, however, making cement! 

The first time i made risotto i firstly tried to do it in a wok, secondly put in twice as much rice as i needed to, and ended up stirring it in shifts with Trina for the best part of an hour – we got through two bottles of wine (admittedly only one went in the risotto…) and about three pints of stock! don’t do that…

Ingredients (serves 2)

1 white onion or shallot, finely chopped

7-8 chestnut mushrooms, sliced

2 rashers streaky bacon

1 generous tbsp olive oil

about 100g Arborio rice

4 cloves garlic crushed

1 large glass of white wine

about a pint of good vegetable or chicken stock, with some saffron mixed in for colour

50g butter

20g grated parmesan

seasoning to taste

1 tbsp chopped parsley

 

Method

Start by gently frying the onion and mushrooms until they pick up a little colour, then add the rice, making sure that each grain is covered in the oil – but keep it moving so that it doesn’t catch or burn. 

Add the wine and let the alcohol cook off, then add the garlic.  This is where the stirring starts.  You don’t need to stir constantly, but you do need to keep it moving otherwise the rice won’t cook evenly and you’ll end up with some cooked and some chewy.  Once the wine is almost fully absorbed by the rice, add about half of the stock, let it come up to temperature (low simmer), then, again, keep it moving. 

Once that lot’s absorbed, check the rice – you’ll need to use your judgement here.  The rice should be about half way, which will still be quite crunchy – add about half of the remaining stock, let that cook in then check again.  If it needs it, you can add the rest.  If not, add the butter, parmesan and parsley, and stir until it’s the right consistency – add a little more liquid if it needs loosening, but not too much – you also don’t wont rice pudding!

You can pretty much put any combo in this recipe – simply replace the mushrooms and bacon with your choice of ingredients.