We love risotto and I make it often. Some folk are nervous about it, thinking it will be a pain to stand and stir, and worrying if the rice will be over cooked or undercooked. Relax, pour yourself a lovely glass of wine and just enjoy about half an hour of gently attending to your dish while your mind sorts out the worries of the day. The diners will eat when the risotto is ready. No sooner, no later. And if you don’t like your rice too “al dente”…well you’re in charge, you can cook it for longer.
It’s a great dish too for using up whatever you have to hand. Personally I’m not so keen on meat risottos so this is a good option for us on the days when we choose not to eat meat or fish. To make this vegan you’d need to use vegan cheese and leave out the splosh of cream at the end – it will still taste amazing, I promise.
Ingredients to serve 6 as a starter, 4 as a main
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 400g carnaroli or arborio rice
- 1 finely chopped onion
- 2 peeled and crushed cloves of garlic
- About 10g of dried porcini mushrooms soaked in boiling water, drain and finely chop the mushrooms and reserve the liquid. Make the liquid up to 1.5 litres with vegetable stock and keep it hot
- About 300g chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced or finely chopped
- A tablespoon of butter
- Fresh parmesan
- A good splosh of cream
Start by warming the oil in a deep frying pan and sweating the onions and garlic until soft. Add fresh mushrooms and cook gently until they are also soft then add the rice. Stir the rice in the pan to make sure all the grains are coated in oil then add the chopped reconstituted dried mushrooms.
Slowly add the hot stock, a couple of ladles full at a time, stir into the rice and when it has been absorbed, add more liquid. When the rice is almost cooked to your liking, turn the heat off and stir in the butter and cream, cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Serve with griddled asparagus and large mushrooms (brush them with olive oil and season before cooking on a hot griddle) for a filling main course. Sprinkle with fresh parmesan as you serve if that takes your fancy.
Chica Andaluza 
I am also not keen on meat risottos and prefer mine al dente. Dave however prefers it more cooked, so I compromise. Thanks for sharing this recipe 🙂
I guess many of us have to compromise in the kitchen with certain dishes!
Risotto used to make me really nervous but after making it a few times I realized that there is nothing to worry about really.. just take the time and enjoy it 🙂
Like yourself, I find tasks like stirring relaxing..a chance for my mind to wander 🙂
Oh I so agree with you Sawsan!
I agree Tanya, it’s such a relaxing way of preparing dinner… a little stirring, a little sip of wine, watching the rice transform into the most delicious of comfort food. Your mushroom version looks wonderful!
Sipping and stirring is a good way to relax!
I’m adding some garlic salt instead of garlic cloves, hope it’s fine, as I don’t wanna use garlic here directly…
Sounds good to me!
That looks delicious – I’m sure mushrooms are meat 😉
They are, aren’t they?!
They always seem like it to me and of course there’s the beefsteak fungus and chicken of the woods!
I love making risotto but oftne mine does go gluggy, I think I spend too muh time enjoying the pouring and stirring! thank you darling. c
But I’m sure they still taste great with all your lovely farmy ingredients!
Always a popular dish here. Yours looks lovely with the whole mushrooms on top.
I am going through a bit of a phase with these large mushrooms – love them!
This looks perfect for the weather we’ve been having. Those mushrooms look like a great replacement for meat. So hearty.
They are indeed so very meaty, you don’t miss the meat at all!
You’re so right… The stirring has totally put me off in the past, but maybe with a new perspective (unwinding with a glass in hand) it may turn out to be a winter favourite!
Do hope so!
Mmmmm mushroom risotto is one of my favourites. I also make a yummy garlic prawn one too. Sometimes I’ll grill a chicken breast and chop it up for the mushroom one if we want a meat dish but usually it’s meaty enough with a few different varieties of mushrooms.
That’s the great thing about risotto – great for adapting to suit everyone!
And Chica it is pretty fine to be stirring the risotto whilst sipping on a nice wine or two 😄
It is indeed!
Sugar – ’tis hard to get past the snows falling: or are we Down Under the only ones whose vision is impaired 😉 ? Love risottos and yours is absolutely delightful!! Like Miss C most of us may be spending too much holding a glass rather than watching the clock!!
Aha – that snow! I think WordPress forget that in half the world it’s summer J
This sounds absolutely delicious! I could eat it right now 🙂
My son has your wonderful relaxed attitude to cooking. He puts a bit of music on and bops about the kitchen, giving things a stir here n there. Me- I just want it done and on the table 😦
I veer between the two attitudes…but bopping around the kitchen is always good fun!
Would it be very rude to ask for a double portion…
Have a wonderful and happy day.
🙂 Mandy xo
It would be considered a HUGE compliment!
Yum! I love anything with mushrooms in it, but they work especially well in a creamy risotto!! This looks too good.
Thank you 🙂
Lots of cheese and cream alternatives for we vegans so we don’t have to feel quite so smug about the calorie count and the best bit about wielding the wooden spoon is that you get to taste test…constantly…so the risotto is poific 🙂
Poific indeed! Taste testing is the cook’s prerogative J
This is my perfect comfort food! Just as you mention, for me after work, nothing could comfort me more than to sip a glass of wine and stir my risotto! I love the perfect sear on those mushrooms, makes me want to dig right in!
I unwind the same way!
It must be the season, I made risotto 2 nights ago with the last of the frozen turkey and stock from Thanksgiving. Now you’ve got me thinking about making another batch, this time with just veggies. Sounds wonderful, Tanya! You’re so right about fearing to make risotto. It took me a long time to work up the courage to make some. Then I wondered what took me so long to do so. As much as I love pasta, there’s something special about a enjoying a plate of risotto on a cold evening. Talk about comfort food!
I always think of rice as comfort food too (creamy rice pudding also falls squarely into this category!)
Not sure I’ve had one with meat. Just doesn’t sound right. This looks lovely. Happy holidays!
hmmm yummy! that nice, the taste is very dilicious.
Mmmmmm! I like a duck and fig risotto, too – if there’s ever any leftover duck that is 😉 or chestnut and fig if there isn’t. This looks great – hungry NOW!
They sound intriguing!
Mushroom risotto is one of my favorite dishes and yours looks lovely with the topping of the asparagus and large mushrooms. No Meat needed.
This is just the sort of recipe I’ll be looking towards over the Christmas break.. a splosh of cream with mushrooms.. is just the perfect tummy-warming food! It’s been ages since I’ve been able to sit and read my favorite bloggers, but presents are wrapped, the dog’s napping and I’ve got some free time! Wishing you and your loved ones a very lovely Christmas season!! xx
And all the same to you and your loved ones!
This sounds so good, I have to try it. Love risotto anyway.
Reblogged this on Chef Ceaser.
Thanks for the inspiration to make a risotto again. I love them this time of year!
Happy to be of service!
look very delicious 😛
and exactly like the Indonesian food ( rice name kebuli ),hehehehe
Thank you!
Donat on it as it burned. It Donuts?
??? Mushrooms!