Monday, December 13, 2010

Risotto with Mushrooms and Mascarpone

This was the first risotto recipe I ever tried, and I love it to death. It claims to serve four, but Phil and I have been known to eat the whole thing between the two of us!


While the recipe calls for dried porcini mushrooms, I've used dried shiitakes with great success too. Short version: find yourself a cup's worth of dried mushroom and go to town!

Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms and Mascarpone

(from Cooking Light Jan/Feb 2010)

Ingredients

2  cups  boiling water
1  cup  dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
1  (14-ounce) can less-sodium beef broth
Cooking spray
1  cup  uncooked Arborio rice
3/4  cup  chopped shallots
2  garlic cloves, minced
1/2  cup  dry white wine
1/4  cup  (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1  tablespoon  chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried)
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  black pepper
1/4  cup  (1 ounce) mascarpone cheese
Fresh thyme leaves (optional)
Preparation

1. Combine 2 cups boiling water and mushrooms; let stand 30 minutes or until soft. Drain through a colander over a bowl. Reserve 1 1/2 cups soaking liquid; chop mushrooms.

2. Bring soaking liquid and broth to a simmer in a small saucepan (do not boil). Keep broth mixture warm.

3. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add rice, shallots, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add wine, and cook until liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes).

4. Add 1 cup broth mixture to rice mixture; cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining broth mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of the broth mixture is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Add mushrooms, grated cheese, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper; stir gently until cheese melts. Spoon 1 cup risotto into each of 4 bowls. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon mascarpone and thyme leaves, if desired.

So creamy. So comforting. So delicious.

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