Mushroom Risotto
Arborio, porcini-cremini broth and butter and parm finish.
Maui's an app that plans a whole week of dinners like this one. See how it works ↓
The dried-porcini-soaking-liquid trick is the underrated move. It adds deep mushroom umami without any extra ingredients - chefs call it 'free MSG'. Just strain it through a coffee filter to catch the grit (the dried mushrooms come with a little sand) and pour it into your stock. Suddenly cremini taste like wild mushrooms.
Ingredients
Everything below makes 4 servings.
- 1½ cupsarborio rice
- ½ ozdried porcini mushroomssoaked in 1 cup hot water 15 min, then chopped (save soaking liquid)
- 1 lbcremini mushroomssliced 1/4 inch
- 5 cupsvegetable stockwarmed in a small saucepan
- ½ cupdry white wine
- 1 largeshallotminced
- 3garlic clovesminced
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 3 tbspunsalted buttercold, divided - 1 tbsp for mushrooms, 2 tbsp for finishing
- ½ cupgrated parmesan
- 2 tspfresh thymeleaves stripped
- ¼ cupfresh parsleychopped
- 1½ tspkosher salt
- ½ tspfreshly ground black pepper
In the app these rescale to however many people you're feeding.
Nutrition
Per serving, as written.
- 540calories
- 15gprotein
- 68gcarbs
- 22gfat
Swaps move these numbers. A different protein or base changes them.
Instructions
Knife work first, then the stove. Nothing below asks you to chop while something burns.
- Soak dried porcini in 1 cup just-boiled water for 15 min. Lift out, chop fine. Strain soaking liquid through a coffee filter or fine sieve to catch grit - pour into the stock.
- Warm the vegetable stock and porcini liquid in a small saucepan and keep at a bare simmer next to the risotto pot.
- Slice cremini. Mince shallot and garlic. Strip thyme leaves, chop parsley. Grate parm.
- Have everything within arm's reach of the stove - risotto cooks fast and needs your full attention from minute one.
Sear mushrooms
Heat olive oil and butter in the heavy saucepan over medium-high. Add cremini in a single layer (work in 2 batches if needed) - don't stir for 3 min so they brown. Toss, cook another 3-4 min until deep golden and dry. Season with salt and thyme. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
8 min · hands onSoffritto
In the same pan, add 1 more tbsp olive oil. Add shallot, cook 2 min until soft. Add garlic and chopped porcini, cook 30 sec until fragrant.
2 min · hands onToast rice
Add the arborio dry to the pan. Stir constantly 2 min until each grain looks slightly translucent at the edges - this is the toast that locks in the bite. Pour in the wine. Stir until almost fully absorbed, about 90 sec.
4 min · hands onLadle and stir
Add 1 ladle of warm stock (about 1/2 cup). Stir often until almost absorbed, then add the next ladle. Continue for 18-22 min total - the rice should look creamy with a slight bite (al dente). You may not need every drop of stock; you may need a splash more water. Trust the texture, not the clock.
20 min · hands onMantecatura
OFF heat: fold in the seared mushrooms, the remaining cold butter, and the parm. Beat with the wooden spoon for 30 sec until glossy and loose - this is the mantecatura, the final emulsification. Taste, adjust salt and pepper. The risotto should fall in a soft wave on the plate, not stand in a stiff mound - if it's too thick, beat in a splash of stock.
1 min · hands onPlate
Spoon into warm shallow bowls. Bang the bottom of the bowl on the counter once so it spreads into a soft wave (all'onda). Scatter parsley and an extra grating of parm.
1 min · hands onMake it yours
Every swap here is one Maui already knows how to make, including what it does to the timing.
Sear 1 lb shrimp 90 sec/side at the end, fan over the plated risotto. Adds about 8 minutes.
Sear 1 lb dry scallops 90 sec/side, perch on top - Sunday-dinner energy. Adds about 8 minutes.
Bright peppery salad cuts the richness - toss while risotto rests. Adds about 5 minutes.
2 tbsp plant butter and 3 tbsp nooch off heat - different but still creamy and umami-rich.
What keeps
Risotto sets up in the fridge. To revive: warm in a wide pan with a splash of stock, stirring until creamy again.
Don't microwave straight from cold - it goes gluey. Day-2 risotto is also great pressed into patties and pan-fried into arancini.
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who plans your dinner.
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