Ingredients
Risotto
- 1 small handful of dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped
- 1½ c. aborio rice
- ⅓ c. dry white wine
- 5 c. chicken stock, divided + more to taste
- ½ c. grated parmesan cheese
- salt + pepper
Topping
- 1 tbsp. butter
- 1tsp. olive oil
- 10 oz. cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 4 oz. wild mushrooms- shiitake, oyster or a mix, thinly sliced
- 1–2 tbsp. of brandy
Garnish
- parmesan cheese
- thyme sprigs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Place the porcini mushrooms into a small bowl. Add just enough hot water to cover, about 1/2 c. Soak for 10-15 minutes to reconstitute. Strain the mushrooms to remove any sand and reserve the liquid.
- In a large Dutch oven, warm the olive oil over low heat.
- Add the onion and thyme leaves. Saute until soft but not colored, about 5-10 minutes.
- Add the rice and stir thoroughly.
- Pour in the wine and reserved porcini liquid. Cook until the most of the moisture has evaporated.
- Add 4½ cups of chicken stock.
- Cover and place into the center of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Remove the risotto from the oven. Add the remaining ½ cup of chicken stock, parmesan cheese, and stir frequently for about 1-2 minutes. The texture should be oozy, not stiff. Add extra stock if necessary. Season with salt and pepper.
- For the topping, warm the butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Saute the mushrooms in batches until golden (overcrowding the pan will cause them to steam and get watery). To deglaze, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove. Then add the brandy. This will prevent the alcohol from catching flame. Return the pan back to the stove and continue to cook, with the mushrooms, until the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- To serve, portion the risotto into bowls. Top with mushrooms, thyme sprigs and extra parmesan on the side.