Wild Mushroom Risotto
Serves 4
25 mins prep
40 mins cook
65 mins total
Wild mushroom risotto is sexy — deeply earthy, creamy without any heavy cream, and built on a homemade broth that concentrates every bit of mushroom flavor before the rice even goes in. Pan-seared mushrooms folded in at the finish add meaty texture and caramelized depth to every bite.
lbassorted wild mushroomssuch as a mixture of cremini, oyster, portobello, clamshell, trumpet, or hen-of-the-woods
smallParmesan rindoptional
tbspdried porcini mushrooms or 1 tablespoon porcini powder
cupchicken brothor vegetable broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
cupArborio rice
tbspchopped parsley
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Brush off any visible dirt from 1 pound assorted wild mushrooms with a towel (don't rinse them - if they become waterlogged, they won't sear properly). Trim off the tough bottom stems. Slice larger mushrooms into bite-size pieces, and the smaller ones in half. You can leave very small caps whole. Save all of the trimmed stems, which will go into the broth.
Finely chop 1 large shallot or medium onion — you want ½ cup total — and smash one of the garlic cloves (you don't need to peel it). Peel and grate the remaining 2 garlic cloves.
Make the mushroom broth
Put the mushroom stems, shallot trimmings, and whole smashed garlic clove in a large saucepan. Add the Parmesan rind if you're using it, and the thyme sprigs. Optional: Grind 2 tablespoons dried porcini mushrooms in a spice grinder or small food processor to a fine powder and add to the pot. Pour in 4½ cups chicken broth. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 15 minutes. Keep your eye on the broth and adjust the heat as needed so it doesn't boil.
Set a mesh colander lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth over a bowl or large glass measuring cup (6 cup capacity). Return the strained broth to the saucepan and keep warm. Discard the solids.
Make the mushroom risotto
Sauté the mushrooms: Place a large skillet or sauté pan (12-inch) over medium-high heat. Note: If you don't have a pan large enough to hold the mushrooms in one layer, cook them in 2 batches.
Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat just until the oil shimmers. Arrange the mushrooms in the pan in one layer. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of of the kosher salt over them. Sear the mushrooms, without stirring or moving them, for about 2 minutes, until they begin to brown.
Add the garlic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook the mushrooms another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic smells delicious and the mushrooms are softened and their liquid is evaporated. Set the pan aside.
Cook the rice: Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a deep skillet (10-12-inches in diameter) or large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the shallot and a ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until softened, 2-3 minutes.
Pour in ¼ cup dry white wine. Allow it to bubble and reduce until it's almost completely evaporated.
Add the rice to the pan, stirring to coat the grains in the fat, until you can hear the rice start to sizzle, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
Ladle in ¾ cup of the warm broth and stir. Cook at a lively simmer, stirring occasionally, until the broth is almost absorbed — a spoon should leave a trail across the bottom of the pan. Continue adding broth, ¾ cup at a time, allowing each addition to simmer and absorb before adding the next. Stir the rice frequently during this process so it doesn't stick to the pan.
After you've added about 3 cups of the broth, start to look for signs that the risotto is almost done: The bubbles in the simmering broth will become larger, and the rice will look plump. Taste to be sure it's tender, but with a tiny al dente bite in the center of the kernel. The rice should have enough liquid so that the texture is creamy (you might not use up all the broth). Remove the risotto pan from the heat and stir in ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese.
Add the sautéed mushrooms and to the rice with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Spoon into warm bowls and serve immediately, garnshed with additional Parmesan.