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Creamy Mushroom Risotto

A comforting risotto made extra special by dried & speciality mushrooms, a grilled brie topping & finished with butter-browned oyster mushrooms on top. Still a great risotto even if you don't add the toppings.

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Starter
Cuisine Italian
Keyword rice
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 2 greedy people very generously (more as a starter or side)
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

  • 1 handful dried mushrooms (e.g. porcini)
  • 1 tbp olive oil
  • 40 g butter divided in half
  • 1 large onion skinned, halved & sliced thinly
  • 2 sticks celery finely chopped
  • salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 300 g mixed mushrooms (chestnut, portabella, maitake, shiitake etc.) wiped & roughly chopped or sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 180 g risotto rice (e.g. carnaroli, arborio)
  • 125 ml dry white wine
  • 1 litre hot stock (chicken or vegetable)
  • 150 ml double cream
  • 30 g Parmesan cheese finely grated

For the toppings

  • 150 g brie sliced
  • 20 g butter
  • 150 g oyster mushrooms

To serve

  • 1 tbsp parsley finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Parmesan cheese finely grated

Instructions

  1. Put the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl, pour over boiling water and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

    Drain the mushrooms (reserve the liquid to add to the stock if liked, but avoid any grit at the bottom of the bowl), squeeze dry then chop finely. Set aside.

  2. Put the olive oil and 20g of the butter in a large saute or frying pan and put on a moderate heat.

  3. Add the onion and celery, season with salt & pepper and cook, stirring regularly until they are starting to soften (10-15 min).

  4. Add the fresh mushrooms, the soaked mushrooms, the garlic and a little more salt & pepper. Continue to cook until the mushrooms are starting to brown (10-12 min).

  5. Stir in the rice and cook for 2-3 min until it is hot and sizzling.

  6. Add the white wine and bubble until almost all of it has evaporated.

  7. Add approx 200ml of the stock and stir well. Continue to cook until almost all of this stock has evaporated, stirring often. Add another 200ml of stock and repeat the process with further additions until the rice seems almost cooked (20-25 min).

  8. Stir in the double cream and continue cooking until it's reduced by half. If the rice still seems some way from being cooked, add a little more stock and cook some more, stirring and tasting the rice often. Don't let the risotto get dry.

  9. When the rice is done, take the pan off the heat, tast and add more salt & pepper if needed. Stir in the remaining 20g of butter, the Parmesan and put on a lid. Set aside 5 min.

  10. While the risotto's resting, heat the grill to high and heat the 20g of butter for the topping in a small frying pan.

  11. Lay the slices of brie over the rested risotto, put the pan under the grill and heat until the cheese is golden.

  12. Meanwhile, when the butter in the pan is sizzling, add the oyster mushrooms, season with salt & pepper and cook briskly until they're well browned

  13. To serve: scatter the oyster mushrooms over the melted brie and finish with the chopped parsley and grated Parmesan. Eat immediately.