Risotto is a decadent dish that would make a fantastic entree or main dish for Mother’s Day, especially this mushroom-flavoured, creamy, cheesy version with Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris.
Ingredients:
- 1½ cups Arborio rice
- 450g mushrooms of choice – sliced
- 5-6 cups chicken stock
- ½ cup Pinot Gris
- 2 shallots – chopped (Don’t cut too finely.)
- ⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 4 tbsp butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Method:
1. Place stock in a saucepan over low heat. It should simmer very gently, not bubble or boil.
2. Take half the butter in a large frying pan and place it on low heat. Once melted and foaming, add the mushrooms. Season with salt, then stir to coat well in butter. Cook, occasionally stirring until they are browned. Transfer the mushrooms and any pan juices to a bowl.
3. Return the frying pan to heat and pour in the olive oil. Once hot, tip in the shallots. Cook on low heat, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes, until softened. Then, pour in the Arborio and stir until every grain is slick.
4. Allow the rice to get slightly golden, and then pour in the wine. Let the rice fully absorb the wine. The alcohol is going to burn off, and only the flavour will be soaked up by the rice.
5. When the wine has been completely absorbed, add a ladle of hot stock. Stir, allow the stock to be absorbed. As you stir the rice, you encourage it to release its starch, turning the liquid in the pan into a beautiful sauce. Keep stirring and adding more ladles of stock until each is absorbed.
6. After you add the last ladle of stock to the pan, add the reserved mushrooms, the remaining butter and the cheese. Stir till everything is beautifully incorporated, ladle out onto plates and serve immediately!
Modify it to your liking – you can always add peas, ham, chicken… the possibilities are endless!
