Wild Mushroom Risotto
This recipe is warm, earthy and slow cooked to perfection! Great on a chilly fall or winter day, especially when paired with a delightful earthy wine such as our “Old World” Cabernet Sauvignon. The umami from the mushrooms complement the wine’s complexity, while the creamy texture of the risotto also softens the tannins. Adding a bit of black pepper and herbs to the risotto perfectly ties in with the wine's peppery notes.
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COOKING TIME: 45 minutes
PAIRED WINES: “Old World” Cabernet Sauvignon and "Dragon's Kiss" Syrah.
SERVINGS: 4 -6 people
INGREDIENTS
4 cups mushroom broth
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5 shallots, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced, divided
1 1/2 pounds fresh portobello and crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons truffle oil
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
Fresh Italian parsley, for garnish
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
DIRECTIONS
Heat the mushroom and chicken broth in a medium saucepan and keep warm over low heat.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 shallots and 1 1/2 cloves of garlic and 1/4 cup chopped parsley and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add fresh porcini mushrooms, herbs, butter, salt and pepper and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
Coat a saucepan with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Saute the remaining 1/2 shallots and garlic cloves. Add the rice and stir quickly until it is well-coated and opaque, 1 minute. This step cooks the starchy coating and prevents the grains from sticking. Stir in wine and cook until it is nearly all evaporated.
With a ladle, add 1 cup of the warm broth and cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Add the remaining broth, 1 cup at a time. Continue to cook and stir, allowing the rice to absorb each addition of broth before adding more. The risotto should be slightly firm and creamy, not mushy. Transfer the mushrooms to the rice mixture. Stir in Parmesan cheese, cook briefly until melted. Top with a drizzle of truffle oil and chopped parsley before serving.