Wild mushroom risotto
For 6 A good mixture of wild mushrooms is best (see here). Choose whatever you can get hold of, but you need at least 750 g (a good 1.1/2 lb) in total to serve six.
at least 750 g (a good 1.1/2 lb) mixed wild mushrooms (fresh porcini, girolles, chanterelles gris, trompettes de mort)
60 g (2.1/4 oz) dried porcini, soaked for 30 minutes in hot water, drained and roughly chopped (liquid strained and reserved)
4 tablespoons olive oil
4–5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper
750 ml (15 fl oz) Chicken Stock (see here)
150 g (5 oz) unsalted butter
1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
300 g (10 oz) risotto rice
200 g (7 oz) Parmesan, grated
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked from the stalks, finely chopped
Pick through the mushrooms, removing leaves and base of stems. Clean the fresh porcini and the girolles by brushing them lightly with a dry pastry brush. Submerge the chanterelles gris and trompettes de mort briefly in cold water and wash them vigorously. Immediately drain and dry in a salad spinner. Tear any larger mushrooms into smaller pieces.
In a large heavy saucepan heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil until smoking. Add the mushrooms to the oil in small batches. Add half the chopped garlic after a minute or two. Season and fry for a couple of minutes more until cooked.
Heat the Chicken Stock and check for seasoning.
In a heavy-bottomed pan heat half the butter with the remaining olive oil. Add the chopped onion and cook on a gentle heat until the onion is soft.
Add the dried porcini to the pan with the remaining garlic. Cook for a minute. Add the rice and stir until each grain is coated. Start adding the stock, ladle by ladle, constantly stirring, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed by the rice before adding the next. Add some of the porcini liquid to the stock for flavour, and continue until the rice is cooked al dente, usually about 20 minutes. Add the cooked wild mushrooms, the remaining butter, the Parmesan and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.