Risotto Porcini Recipe
Saffron risotto, creamy porcini sauce, truffle oil.
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Ingredients
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Risotto
Porcini cream and garnish
Method
Risotto
- 1
Prepare saffron
Place saffron threads in a small bowl and cover with 1/4 cup hot stock or hot water. Let steep 10 minutes to release color and aroma.
- 2
Heat stock
Keep 5 cups of stock warm in a saucepan over low heat; it should be hot but not boiling throughout cooking.
- 3
Sweat shallot
In a wide heavy-bottomed sauté pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Add finely chopped shallot and cook gently, stirring, until translucent and soft, about 3–4 minutes. Do not brown.
- 4
Toast rice
Add Arborio rice to the pan and stir to coat each grain with fat. Cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes until the edges become translucent and rice smells slightly nutty.
- 5
Deglaze with wine
Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine and stir until mostly absorbed by the rice.
- 6
Cook risotto by adding stock
Begin adding hot stock, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next ladle. After about 10 minutes of this process, stir in the saffron and its steeping liquid. Continue adding stock and stirring for another 8–10 minutes until rice is tender but still has a slight al dente bite (total cooking time about 18–20 minutes).
- 7
Finish risotto
When rice is cooked, remove pan from heat. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Adjust seasoning with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, tasting and adjusting as needed. Keep risotto loose and creamy by adding a splash of hot stock if it seems too thick. Cover and rest off heat for 1–2 minutes.
Porcini cream and garnish
- 8
Soak dried porcini
Place dried porcini in a heatproof bowl and pour 1 1/2 cups hot water over them. Cover and soak 20–30 minutes until rehydrated. Reserve soaking liquid and strain through a fine sieve or coffee filter to remove grit; reserve both mushrooms and liquid separately.
- 9
Sauté mushrooms
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced shallot and cook until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add rehydrated porcini (chopped if large) and optional sliced button mushrooms. Sauté until mushrooms are golden and any released liquid has mostly evaporated, about 5–6 minutes.
- 10
Make porcini cream
Pour about 1/2 cup of the reserved strained porcini soaking liquid into the skillet and simmer 1–2 minutes to concentrate flavor. Add 3/4 cup crème fraîche or heavy cream and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently until mixture thickens slightly, about 3–4 minutes. Taste and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. For a smoother sauce (optional), transfer mixture to a blender and pulse until silky; return to skillet and keep warm.
- 11
Finish and plate
To serve, spoon a portion of saffron risotto into shallow bowls. Spoon the warm porcini cream over or to the side of the risotto. Drizzle each serving with about 1 teaspoon truffle oil and sprinkle with extra grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Finish with a grind of black pepper and a few thyme leaves for garnish.