Mushroom Risotto

Yield: 8 cups

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 40 minutes

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Ingredients

• 6 cups mushroom stock/broth

• 2 oz sage

• 2 Tbs canola oil

• 2 onions, small dice

• 1 head garlic, peeled and minced

• Kosher salt

• 2 cups arborio rice

• 1 cup white wine (preferably Chardonnay)

• 8 oz unsalted butter (I recommend Plugra)

• 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

• 2 oz Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, shaved with a peeler

 

Method

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Heat the mushroom broth and sage in a sauce pot over medium- high heat. Heat a saucepan over medium- high heat, add the oil and onions and garlic, and season with about 3 Tbs of the Kosher salt. Mix the aromatics with a flat- edged wooden spoon to prevent any browning. Sweat the onion and garlic until translucent. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, season with 2 Tbs of Kosher salt, and stir vigorously until the wine is almost completely evaporated. Use a ladle to add mushroom stock one cup at a time to the risotto. Add 2 Tbs Kosher salt with each cup addition of stock upon evaporation.

 

Be sure to continue stirring vigorously intermittently in between each dosage of stock. Follow this sequence of vigorous stirring, seasoning, and stock addition once the last addition of stock evaporates. The continued stirring will rupture the granular structure of the rice, allowing the starch to permeate the risotto. This will yield a creamy texture to your risotto, without the addition of cream(which would dilute the flavor and add an unnecessary level of richness and create an overwhelming deluge of decadence). Once the rice is tender to the bite, but not mushy, turn off the heat, stir in the butter and grated cheese until fully incorporated. Taste the risotto for seasoning. Plate the risotto and top with the shaved Parmigiano Reggiano.

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This risotto can also be garnished with roasted wild mushrooms (seasoned with salt, pepper, tossed in canola oil, and roasted in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for about 12 minutes).