Baby it's cold outside

It appears the mild winter is as distant a memory as our New Year Resolutions.  The first cold snap of 2012 is upon us.  As the temperature plummets don’t despair because as the old adage goes….every cloud has a silver lining.  Freezing cold weather brings with it the desire to cook delicious, soul pleasing comfort food.  It is futile to resist the lure of a sticky toffee pudding or beef stew with dumplings, the seductive mistress will always get her way.  On such days my vice is undoubtedly Mushroom Risotto.  Its luscious texture and alluring aroma satisfy all the senses.  Clinging to your bones as you consume it, it warms your core unlike any other food….in my humble opinion. 

Mushroom Risotto

Prep:  10mins  Cook:  30mins   Serves: 4

Ingredients

50g Dried Porcini Mushrooms

200g Chestnut Mushrooms – or any type you like
1 medium Onion
1 large clove Garlic crushed
Zest and Juice of a Lemon
200ml White wine
400g Risotto Rice
1 ¼  litres  Veg Boullion Stock
75g Parmezan cheese
6tbsp Parsley
Salt/Pepper
Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

Steep the Porcini Mushrooms in 200mls of hand-hot water and allow to plump up, this should take around 20mins.  Set aside for later.  Slice the Chestnut Mushrooms and sauté on a high heat in 1 tbsp of Olive Oil. 

Once browned, set the mushrooms aside for later. 

Finely chop the onion and sauté in 3tbsps of Olive oil over a medium heat until translucent.  Add the crushed Garlic, grated Lemon zest and juice and cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Add the wine, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

And now the rice….

Add the rice to the pan and mix well with the other ingredients.  Cook for 2 – 3 minutes or until the rice grains begin to become translucent around the edges. 

At this stage you can start to add the stock to the rice.  Add the stock a ladel-full at a time and gently stir until the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladel-full. 

 Make sure the stock is simmering when you add it.  The best way to do this is to keep a pot of simmering stock on the stove whilst you are cooking the Risotto.

Once you have adding about 4 ladel-fulls of stock turn your attention briefly back to the Porcini Muchrooms.  Remove them from the water and squeeze out any excess water.  Roughly chop them and add to the Risotto along with the liquid they were steeped in, also add the Chestnut mushrooms. 

Gently stir until the liquid is absorbed then return to adding the stock a ladel-ful at a time.  At this stage you can remove the Garlic.  Once all the liquid has been added stir in the Chopped Parsley and Parmezan. 

Now check for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Garnish with a generous shaving of parmesan and a drizzle of Olive Oil.

Spend time over stirring your Risotto.  It’s extremely therapeutic and allows you the time to dream about the summer to come.