Monster Mushroom Risotto

As promised, the other post I have neglected to post earlier, however this dish I made last night so I'm not quite as behind as the artichokes (I made those on Tuesday night...oopsies).

This recipe I adapted from Rachel Ray's 30-Minute Get-Togethers cookbook and was absolutely divine! The risotto had the perfect texture, the flavors were meaty and deep and it was creamy beyond belief!

Monster Mushroom Risotto

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 quart vegetable stock
1 quart water
3 oz dried porcini mushrooms
2 C Arborio rice
8 oz fresh baby portabella mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and coarsely chopped
1/4 C dry sherry
8 fresh thyme sprigs, removed from stems and chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 C shredded parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, bring dried mushrooms to a boil in the vegetable stock and water. Boil for 10 minutes to reconstitute mushrooms.

In a deep skillet (I actually used a small stock pot), saute garlic cloves in olive oil and butter for 2 minutes. Add the rice to the skillet and toast for 2 minutes. Add in the fresh mushrooms and saute for 2 more minutes.

Pour in the dry sherry and stir. Allow the rice to soak up the liquid. 1-2 ladles at a time, add the mushroom broth to the skillet, stirring constantly. Continue adding in broth, being sure to allow the liquid to fully absorb before adding in more.

Remove the dried mushrooms from the broth and roughly chop. Add them to the skillet.

The risotto is done when the rice has achieved the perfect al dente texture and appears creamy. According to Rachel, the ideal cooking time for risotto is 22 minutes, I wish I had timed myself. However, my risotto didn't require the entire saucepan of broth so just be aware of that.

Once your risotto is done, remove from heat and add in the thyme, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese. As I said, this risotto was velvety, flavorful and definitely filling. I think the only change I would make to this recipe would be I wouldn't eat the dried mushrooms after using them to flavor the broth. The dried mushrooms unfortunately take on a rubbery and chewy texture rather than the soft and succulent texture of the fresh mushrooms.

Stay tuned for more tasty recipes and as always, thank you for taking the time to read my humble blog.