Ingredients

Risotto

• 25g dried mixed wild mushrooms
• 300g wild mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
• 1 large red onion or 2 small, finely diced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 300g risotto rice
• 1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
• 250ml red wine
• 100g mascarpone or double cream or crème fraiche
• 3 tbsp. mixed herbs, parsley, tarragon and basil
• Maldon salt and freshly ground pepper

To Serve

• 3 tbsp. Parmesan shavings
• 2 tsp. truffle oil
• Deep fried shredded leek (optional)

Method

1. Risotto: Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and pour over 300ml boiling water and set aside for 15 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and reserve the liquid and set the mushrooms aside, In a large saucepan pour in the olive oil and place over a moderate heat, add the onions and garlic, sauté for a couple of minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes until the mushrooms are tender and just cooked. Remove 1/3 of the mushrooms and set aside. Add the rice to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Stir the mushroom stock into the rice and allow it to simmer until absorbed. Then add the red wine and let it simmer stirring occasionally. Now stir in a ladle of boiling stock and slowly stir it as it simmers until absorbed. Keep on adding ladles of stock until all the stock is absorbed into the rice. The rice should be moist and tender, with a little bite (not mush). Stir in the mascrapone or cream, Parmesan, herbs and seasoning into the rice until well combined.
2. To Serve: Reheat the reserved mushrooms in a saucepan. Place the risotto in warm serving bowls; distribute the reserved mushrooms over the top of the rice. Garnish the rice with the deep fried leek (optional), Parmesan shavings, and mixed herbs. Drizzle the truffle oil around the risotto. Serve.

• Any reserved risotto can be made into suppli balls or risotto cakes.
• You can enrich the risotto with a little soft goats cheese or a blue vein cheese.