Risotto with Porcini and Portabello Mushrooms and Red Wine

[Guest guest]

Risotto with Porcini and Portobello Mushrooms and Red Wine

 

Yield: 6 servings

1 cup (4 ounces) dried porcini mushrooms

3 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound portobello mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 quart vegetable broth, homemade or canned

5 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 red onion, diced

1 1/2 cups uncooked arborio rice

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Soak the porcini mushrooms in 1 cup of warm water for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove the mushrooms and set aside. Strain the mushroom juice through a

sieve

lined with cheesecloth and set aside.

 

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and sauté the

portobello

mushrooms for about 15 minutes until they begin to soften. Add garlic and

 

porcini mushrooms and cook for 3 or 4 minutes until the garlic softens.

Add

half of the mushroom juice and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the

liquid

is reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Add the parsley and lemon juice, season

to

taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside, covered, to

keep

warm. To insure that the mushroom mixture stays warm, put it in a 200°F

oven

rather than covering it.

 

In a saucepan, bring the vegetable stock to a boil over high heat. Reduce

the

heat and simmer while making the risotto.

 

In a large saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat

and

sweat the onion for about 5 minutes, just until softened. Remove pan from

the

heat and add the rice, stirring until it is well coated with butter.

Return

to the heat and stir in the remaining mushroom juice. Add 2 ladles full

of

hot stock (about 1/2 cup), stirring constantly, until the rice absorbs

nearly

all of the liquid. Continue adding more simmering stock, a ladle full or

two

at a time. Make sure not to add more stock until the previous amount is

absorbed by the rice. When nearly all of the stock has been added, the

risotto will be creamy, but the individual grains will be al dente. When

the

risotto reaches this point, stop adding stock.

 

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the wine, stirring until

both

are absorbed. Add the warm mushroom mixture and the frozen peas, and the

Parmesan and stir gently until peas are cooked,about 1 minute, careful

not to overmix.

 

Serve immediately in large pasta or soup bowls. If desired, additional

Parmesan cheese may be grated over the top before serving