6cupschicken or vegetable stock(preferably homemade)
½onion or 2 shallots, diced
1 ½cuparborio or Carnaroli rice
¾cupwhite wine
½cupgrated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Fresh herbssuch as thyme and chives
Extra-virgin olive oil
Instructions
Sauté the Mushrooms
While you make the risotto, sauté the mushrooms: Heat a heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 2 tablespoon of the butter until melted. Then add the mushrooms.
Sauté, stirring every few minutes, until they are golden brown and tender. Season with kosher salt, pepper and finish with fresh herbs.
Make Risotto
Bring the stock to a simmer in a small saucepan.
In a separate 4-quart dutch oven or pot, sauté the onions with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and a pinch of salt over medium-low heat until they are translucent, about 4 minutes.
Add the rice, stir for 1 minute until it starts to become semi-transparent.
Increase the heat to medium and carefully add the wine. Cook down until it is almost completed evaporated, about 2 minutes.
Start adding stock about ½ cup at a time. Stirring until it is almost completely absorbed each time before adding more. Stir the risotto frequently during the process and continue until all of the stock is used or the rice is al dente. Add only enough stock the last time so it doesn't become too thick.
Remove from the heat and finish by stirring in the remaining butter, grated Parmesan and fresh herbs. Taste (careful, it is hot!) and season with salt and pepper.
Plate the risotto into warm bowls, top with the mushrooms and a drizzle of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil and serve immediately.
Notes
Rice-to-stock ratio - The ratio of rice to stock is about 1 to 4. Use this for scaling up.
The mushrooms - Use a variety of wild mushrooms and white button with different textures. You can leave some whole, slice some and quarter others to also change the texture. The mushrooms can also be roasted. Simply toss the sliced mushrooms in a bowl with olive oil, then place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and put in a 400° F oven for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
Rice doneness - You are aiming for "al dente," which leaves some firmness to the rice and a slight bite. You don't want it to be mushy. If the rice hasn't cooked enough, just add more stock or hot water until the desired doneness is reached.
Risotto texture - The finished texture of risotto should be creamy and be slightly clingy. It shouldn't be dry or super runny. If you need to adjust at the end, just add more stock or some hot water to loosen it up.
More veggies - Peas also go great with the mushrooms if you want to add a veggie. Just add them toward the end to warm them through.
Reheating risotto - Store risotto covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and gently heat it up in the microwave, for not too long at a time. Stir between heating cycles.