Wild Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Oil

Joburg has been hit by a cold front and rainy weather like this just calls for comfort food!

Wild Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Oil

(Serves 4)

Ingredients

440g Arborio Rice

500g Mixed Mushrooms, sliced

60g Parmesan

60g Pecorini

2 Tbls Butter

2 Tbls Olive Oil

2 Cloves Garlic, chopped

1 Leek, finely sliced

1 L Chicken Stock

125 ml White Wine

Zest of 1 Lemon

2 Tbls Parsley, chopped

Truffle Oil (Optional)

How to make it

Before you start on the rice, shallow fry the mushrooms in some butter and set aside.

Heat stock and keep on the boil.

Fry leek and garlic in the oil for 5-6min.

Add Arborio rice and stir until coated.

Add 125 ml stock and stir until absorbed.

Add wine stir until absorbed.

Add the rest of stock 125 ml at a time stir until absorbed and rice is tender and creamy

(Once you start cooking the rice, you can’t leave it unattended, it may become dry and sticky if you don’t keep an eye on it.)

* Taste the rice, it should be soft but still offer some resistance when you bite into it. If you feel that it is still too undercooked and your liquid is finished just add some boiling water until it reaches the right consistency. 

Stir in mushrooms, and cheese (you can use less if you’d like).

Stir in lemon zest and parsley or

Add little cream or mascarpone for a more indulgent version.

Drizzle with Truffle Oil for a superb flavour.

Tips

• Wild mushrooms are in season, so you should be able to buy some from most greengrocers (Impala Fruitiers on Beyers Naude has a fantastic selection). Woolworths also sells punnets of mixed exotic mushrooms.
• Truffle Oil can be bought at delicatessens and some specialist stores.
• Wild mushrooms are expensive, so use portabelinni and big brown mushrooms with one punnet of wild mushrooms instead.
• For a more intense mushroom flavour, soak dried Porchini mushrooms in 500ml hot water and combine with 500ml chicken stock.
• If you can get fresh Porchini (considered the marrow of the mushroom world), shallow fry thick slices in butter and some garlic, and use as garnish on the risotto.