Mushroom Risotto with Truffled Pecorino
Ingredients
- ½ ounce dried wild mushrooms such as morels or porcini
- 1 cup hot water
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 8 ounces fresh baby bella or cremini mushrooms coarsely chopped
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1½ cups arborio or carnaroli rice
- ½ cup white wine
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup finely grated pecorino with truffles
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh chopped parsley or chives optional
Instructions
- Crumble or chop dried mushrooms into small pieces, and place in a small bowl with hot water; set aside for at least 30 minutes.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a wide, deep skillet over medium heat. Add ¼ cup of the onions, and sauté 3 minutes. Add fresh mushrooms, and cook briefly, just until softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a container; cover and keep warm.
- In a medium saucepot, heat broth to boiling. Cover, and reduce heat to low, holding at a simmer.
- In the same skillet that was used for the mushrooms, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the remaining ¾ cup onions, and sauté until translucent, about 4 minutes. Stir in rice, and cook for 2 minutes. Add wine, dried mushrooms with their liquid, and salt; simmer until all liquid is completely absorbed.
- Begin adding 3 cups of hot broth in 1-cup increments, stirring constantly until each addition is absorbed before adding the next one. (This should take 15 to 18 minutes total.) Add the remaining broth in ½-cup increments, stirring constantly. Test the risotto between additions until it’s done cooking.
- Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in pecorino, and divide among four serving bowls. Top each with a portion of the reserved cooked mushrooms, fresh black pepper, and, if desired, chopped fresh parsley or chives. Serve promptly.
Elaine Khosrova
Elaine Khorova is the original Editor-in-Chief of culture magazine and the current recipe writer extraordinaire. She resides in the Hudson Valley of New York where she is working on a book about the history of butter.
Photographer Mark Ferri
Mark Ferri is a graduate of Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, Calif. He believes in a simple, direct approach that captures the natural beauty and appetite appeal of food. Mark celebrates a life-long passion for food by frequently exploring new restaurants in New York and in Europe, and loves to cook and entertain at his home in the Hudson Valley. Learn more about Mark on his website: http://www.markferriphoto.com/
Stylist Leslie Orlandini
Leslie Orlandini is a chef and an accomplished food stylist in print and television. She has been nominated for both James Beard and Emmy awards and is a veteran of thousands of cooking shows and segments. You can learn more about her through her website: http://leslieorlandini.com/
