Risotto with Mushrooms and Shaved Truffle

Recipe by Mark McEwan

Risotto ai Funghi e Tartufo

Risotto with Mushrooms and Shaved Truffle

There is not much in the Italian idiom of flavour-or anybody’s-that goes together as well as mushroom, truffle, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. When incorporated in a risotto, the combination is unfailingly sublime. Serves 6 as an appetizer or side dish

3 cups (750 mL) mixed top-quality mushrooms (porcini, chanterelles, blue foot, etc.)

1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil 1/4 tsp (1 mL) minced rosemary squeeze of lemon juice salt and pepper

1 batch plain risotto (page 152)

1/4 cup (60 mL) truffle paste

1/4 cup (60 mL) freshly grated Parmigiano-reggiano

2 tbsp (30 mL) butter Ground white pepper
Garnish

3 tbsp (50 mL) freshly grated Parmigiano-reggiano

1 small truffle (about 3 oz/90 g)

Truffle oil
Clean the mushrooms. Trim off the stems, add them to the vegetable stock to be used to prepare the risotto, and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the stock and discard the stems. (This step may be omitted, in which case simply discard the stems.) Slice the mushrooms about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick. In a sauté pan on medium heat, cook the mushrooms in the olive oil until they wilt. When their liquid evaporates, stir in the rosemary, deglaze the pan with lemon juice, season, and set aside.

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Begin cooking the risotto according to the directions on page 146, using vegetable stock in place of the brodo. When the rice is about 5 minutes away from being done, stir in the mushrooms. When the rice is very close to cooked, and the supply of stock virtually exhausted, stir in the truffle paste. Add the cheese, and stir until heated through. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Taste, and correct seasonings with salt and white pepper. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan, scattered with truffle shavings, and drizzled with truffle oil.

Substitutions: If you have no vegetable stock, chicken stock (page 292) should be your second choice and white brodo (page 5), your third. As with the vegetable stock, these will also benefit from an infusion of simmered mushroom trimmings for this particular recipe.
Basic Risotto

3 tablespoons (45 mL) olive oil

1 cup (250 mL) onions

salt

1 teaspoon (5 mL) minced garlic

1½ cups (375 mL) Carnaroli rice

½ cup (125 mL) white wine

5 cups (1,250 mL) vegetable or chicken stock, at a simmer

¼ cup (60 mL) freshly grated Parmigiano-reggiano

2 tablespoons (30 mL) butter

2 tablespoons (30 mL) truffle paste (optional)

Ground white pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions, salt lightly, and sweat, stirring frequently so that the onions do not brown. When after 5 or 6 minutes the onions begin to wilt, add the garlic and cook a minute longer. Add the rice and stir well to coat with the oil.

Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the grains of rice begin to acquire translucence. When that is achieved, deglaze with the wine.

When the wine has been reduced to a syrup, add the ½ cup (125 mL) of the hot stock. Stir again. When the liquid again thickens, add another ¼ cup (60 mL) stock and stir again. Season lightly. Stir regularly and build the seasoning gradually as you go. Continue until the rice is nearly cooked and the stock nearly finished.

Stir the primary seasoning into the risotto. Add the cheese and stir until heated through.

Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and optional truffle paste. Taste and correct seasonings with salt and white pepper.

Makes 4 main course servings or 6 side dishes

Suggested Wine: Barolo