Risotto con i funghi misti e pancetta

Risotto with Mixed mushrooms and Italian Bacon

(serves 2)

Serious L-O-V-E for mushrooms. I totally fell in love with porcini mushrooms over my last 2 visits to Italy, with its amazing aroma and distinct flavour.. and then of course, all the asian mushrooms like oyster and enoki mushrooms are superb taste-absorbers, enhancing this dish by adding an awesome mix of textures! So when i finally got this concoction of mushrooms together at home, just could not resist putting together a risotto!

Risottos are definitely one of those dishes that are a little on the fancy-schmancy side, probably because to do it properly takes a fair bit of love and patience, but will definitely be a crowd pleaser! It does take a little while, so maybe have a snack and a glass of wine first...

Prep time: 10 min

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 C arborio rice

1/2 C white wine

3 C chicken/vegetable stock

1 brown onion

3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

30-40g butter

handful of dried porcini mushrooms

200g oyster mushrooms

200g enoki mushrooms

3-4 button mushrooms (optional)

2 slices pancetta

salt and pepper

1 sprig parsley, finely chopped 

15g parmesan, shaved to serve

Method:

1. Soak the porcini mushrooms in 1/2 C water. NB. Save the water, as it will be put into the stock later.

2. Put the stock and white wine into a pot and bring to boil on the stove, then let it simmer.

3. Finely dice the onion.

4. Heat a large pot on medium heat, add about half the butter. Add the onions and 2 cloves of garlic and cook until onions are soft.

5. Add the rice, mix through with another 5g butter until rice becomes semi-transparent.

6. Add the stock one ladle at a time, stirring constantly and waiting until the rice has absorbed the stock before adding another ladle. You can continue to do this whilst preparing the rest of the mushrooms etc, or if there are 2 people in the kitchen, then one person should be devoted to stirring and adding. This is usually my sous-chef sister :)

7. Thinly slice the mushrooms.

Porcini, oyster, button and enoki mushrooms!

8. Once the porcini mushrooms are soft, you can pour the water into the stock mixture. NB. It will be brown, this is normal.

9. When about half the stock is mixed in, heat a non-stick frypan and cook pancetta until crisp. Soak up excess fat by placing on a paper towel on a plate. Cut into thin slices.

10. Add the remaining butter into the pan, add the rest of the garlic and add the porcini mushrooms first until their aroma is released. Add the rest of the mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste and continue to cook on high heat to allow it to singe a little. 

11. Taste the risotto mix to work out when it is al dente. Add salt and pepper and parmesan to taste. When it is done, add half the mushroom mixture and pancetta and mix through. 

NB. Timing is quite important, don't want it to get too cooked/soggy! This takes a little practice or just a bit of careful attention.

12. Serve with rest of mushroom mixture and pancetta on top, a bit of parsley and parmesan! Oh, and of course, a nice glass of wine. 

Buon appetito!