Mushroom Risotto is so versatile. There are a bunch of different flavors you can make (artichoke, mint, sun-dried tomato), but both Jeff and I like the flavor of mushrooms. I made it for New Year’s Eve dinner, and more recently my daughter’s family birthday dinner. Both times, it seemed to be a hit.
It’s a simple recipe that delivers big on flavor. You need arborio rice, a bunch of diced shallots, broth, wine, Parmesan cheese, and mushrooms. A word about mushrooms…I don’ t know about you, but whenever I buy mushrooms, I intend to use them immediately, but don’t seem to be able to get to them before they go bad. For this recipe, I don’t use fresh mushrooms. I use dried porcini mushrooms and let them soak while I chop up the shallots.
To enhance the flavor further, I use truffle butter.
And of course, real Parmesan cheese, freshly shredded.
Start by putting the chicken broth in a smaller pot and get that simmering on the back burner.
Then, start the risotto. Put a little olive oil in a Dutch oven and saute the shallots until they are soft. Then, add the rice and cook until toasty. Deglaze with a little bit of wine, and add one cup of the hot broth to the rice. Stir up a bit, and when that is absorbed, add another cup. In this manner, keep on adding the broth a cup at a time until it starts to look a little bit like porridge. You’ll be surprised at how much broth is needed. I use eight cups.
Add the chopped up mushrooms when it looks almost finished. This pot still needs to simmer a bit.
Then add the Parmesan cheese and a pat of truffle butter, mix up, and serve.
The photo below shows the risotto a little more absorbed than perhaps it would be in a restaurant, but this is how I like it.
Garnish with a bit of flat-leafed parsley, some Parmesan cheese shavings, and pepper, and you’re good to go.
Serving Suggestions
Mushroom Risotto is hearty enough to enjoy as a one-pot dish, but it also goes will with:
- Grill-Roasted Turkey or any roasted meat or poultry dish
- Salmon with Tomatoes, Olives, and Capers
This risotto comes out creamy and has a rich, mushroomy flavor with a hint of butter and nutty Parmesan cheese taste. It is one of my new favorites.
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Ingredients
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup shallots minced (about 4 large shallots)
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2 32 oz boxes of chicken broth (about 8 cups)
- 1 tbsp truffle butter or truffle oil
- 2 boxes of mushrooms sliced Baby Bellas, or crimini or 1 cup dried mushrooms
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- flat-leaf parsley chopped, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the mushrooms. If using fresh mushrooms, sautee them in a little olive oil and set them aside. If using dried mushrooms, grab about 1 cup and put in a bowl of warm water. Let soak for about 20 minutes.
- Bring all the broth to simmer on a back burner.
- Melt two tbsp of butter in the Dutch oven.
- Add the diced shallots and cook for about three minutes or until soft.
- Add the rice. Stir occasionally until they are starting to toast.
- Add wine to deglaze the pot.
- When most of the moisture is absorbed, start adding the heated broth a cup at a time. Repeat cup by cup until the risotto becomes thick and creamy. Do this until you have only about 2 cups left in the saucepan.
- Add truffle butter, Parmesan cheese, and mushrooms to the pot. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste.
- If you like it to be a little creamier, add a little bit of the extra broth until the texture is how you like it.
- Serve garnished with flat-leaf parsley and a little more Parmesan.
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