Dried porcini mushroom risotto
Dried porcini mushrooms bring exception flavor to this mushroom risotto. The chicken is optional to make this a more complete meal.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Risotto
- 50 g dried porcini mushrooms
- 500 ml hot water (2 cups)
- 60 ml olive oil (¼ cup)
- 2 onions, diced about 100 g (4 oz)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves divided
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 400 g arborio rice (2 cups)
- 250 ml dry white wine, cold or room temperature (1 cup)
- 800 ml good-quality, unsalted (or low-salt) chicken stock (about 3 ½ cups)
- 55 g butter (4 tbsp)
- 40 g grated Parmesan cheese (½ cup)
Chicken
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 chicken breast, pounded flat, about 1 cm (½ inch) thick
Instructions
- Prepare the mushroom stock: Soak the 50 g dried mushrooms in 500 ml hot water for at least 30 minutes. Once rehydrated, remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and roughly chop into approximately 1-2 cm pieces, and set aside. The left-over liquid is your mushroom stock. If you have a very fine strainer, you can strain the stock to get out the dirt and fines that may have settled to the bottom of the bowl. If not, try to leave what has settled undisturbed and ladle out the stock as needed later.
- Soffritto: Heat the 60 ml (1/4 cup) olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat, and cook the 2 diced onions for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add 1 clove garlic, 1 tbsp sage leaves, 1 tsp salt (or less if stock is already salted), and black pepper, and cook for another minute.
- Tostatura: Add 400 g (2 cups) rice, and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent, stirringly frequently. You want to toast, not burn the rice in this step.
- Sfumatura: Raise the heat, and add 250 ml (1 cup) white wine. Cook until the wine has evaporated.
- Cottura: Reduce heat, and add 1 cup of chicken stock and let cook, uncovered, at a constant low simmer until the stock is mostly absorbed. Keep adding stock, ½ cup at a time, each time the stock is mostly absorbed, alternating between chicken and mushroom stock. I added about 3 cups chicken stock and 1 ½ cups mushroom stock.
- Cook the chicken: While the rice is cooking, heat the remaining 2 tsp olive oil in a small pan over medium heat and cook the chicken until golden and cooked through. Cut into bite-sized pieces.
- Mantecatura: After 15-20 minutes, the rice should be al dente—cooked, but still a bit firm—and the stock mostly absorbed. If you prefer your risotto all’onda, “on the wave”, leave a little more stock unabsorbed. Mix in the chopped rehydrated mushrooms, cooked chicken, 1 tbsp sage, cold butter, and grated Parmesan. Cover and let sit 2 minutes.
- Serve in a bowl, garnished with extra sage and Parmesan.