MUSHROOM, PINE NUT AND TRUFFLE RISOTTO

I've been willing to post this mushroom risotto recipe since the autumn started but time flies with the Christmas and all so I've been delaying the moment but...better late than never they say. It is still a good moment to buy mushrooms, there are so many available in the markets and loads of good options to use them so give it a try!

You are probably more than familiar with the risotto, such a great italian classic with multitude of recipes and different ingredients. Although the preparation and recipe principal is always the same having the rice as the star of the dish, you can use a lot of different condiments. The truth is sometimes less is more and you can get a really nice and yummy dish with no hassle.



There are a few important keys to achieve the perfect risotto. It is essential to pick the right rice, even though there is a wide variety available here we normally can easily find this two types: arborio and carnaroli. It is thank to this kind of small and round rice that we can obtain a creamy texture, as they have tha capacity to absorb a lot of liquid and to release the starch during the cooking process. 

On the other hand the quality of the broth we will be using makes a lot of difference in terms of flavour. It is highly recommended to use a home made stock but of course you can buy it to make it faster and easier. One very important thing is that it must always be very hot. 
You will just need a bit of patience and focus to achieve a good risotto as you have to add the broth gradually and stir well all the time. 
You can use the mushrooms of your choice, this time I've used shiitake and portobello mushrooms, as well as grated truffle, so aromatic.
You can find below the full method for this mushroom, pine nut and truffle risotto. Let's start with the recipe! 




MUSHROOM, PINE NUT AND TRUFFLE RISOTTO RECIPE    

INGREDIENTS : (Serves 4)

• 400 gr. arborio or carnaroli rice
• 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock
• 150 gr. shiitake mushrooms, grossly chopped
• 150 gr. portobello mushrooms, grossly chopped
• 3 tbsp. grated truffle
• 2 shallots or 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Lactose free (or regular) butter
• 1 handful of pine nuts
• Thyme
• Ground black pepper
• Salt 
• Optional: parmesan cheese, lemon zest and black salt flakes

ELABORATION : 

1. Warm up the stock in a saucepan. Get a ladle that you will use to add stock to the rice.
2. In another pan, set to medium-high heat, pour some olive oil and a knob of butter. When it has molten add the shallots and the garlic and sauté until they get golden. 
3. Add the chopped mushrooms, the truffle, salt and pepper and some thyme. Mix until the mushrooms are done. 
4. Keep the heat to medium-high and add the rice, stir for 2 minutes. Add the first spoon of stock using the laddle each time, stir well. Remember to always have your stock hot.
5. Add a spoon of broth everytime the liquid has been absorbed and keep stirring continuously. Keep doing that until your rice is done, it should take around 20-25 minutes. (Check your rice, if it is not cooked already and you have no more stock, use hot water)
6. Taste and add more salt/pepper if needed. Add some parsley, the pine nuts (you can roast them 2 minutes using a pan with no oil), some butter and stir all well. (If you are using parmesan cheese, now is the moment to do so)
7.  Serve with some lemon zest, black salt flakes and enjoy!