Wild Mushroom Risotto

This wild mushroom risotto recipe is adapted from “Cooking Wild in the Northwest“, by Seattle chef John Sundstrom.

It delivers a creamy texture and is packed with rich flavors.

Ingredients:
For the mushroom stock:

• 1 onion, diced
• 2 celery stocks, diced
• 1/2 carrot, peeled and sliced
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 lb mushrooms cleaned and trimmed
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 3 parsley stems
• 1 tlb kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns

In a stock pot over medium heat, sauté onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Deglaze the pan with white wine. Add mushrooms, thyme, parsley stems, salt and peppercorns. Cover with water. Bring to a boil then simmer for about an hour. Turn off the heat and let the stock sit at room temperature for an hour before straining.

For the risotto:

• 3 tbl unsalted butter
• 9 oz chanterelle mushrooms cleaned, trimmed and patted dry
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbl extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups carnaroli rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/4 oz grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (can be left out if Vegan)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Sauté garlic and mushrooms over high heat with butter. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
2. Warm the mushroom stock over medium heat.
3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onion for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Add rice and stir until each kernel is coated with oil and turns translucent.
4. Deglaze with white wine and season with salt.
5. Add one ladle of hot mushroom stock and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed into the rice. Repeat the process, one ladle at a time, until the rice is soft, but still ‘al dente’. About 15 to 20 minutes total.
6. Turn off the heat and let the risotto steep for 1 minute.
7. Stir in the sauteed mushroom.
8. Add a splash of hot mushroom stock, if needed,  to help combine the rice and the mushroom.
9. Stir in Parmigiano-Reggiano, if using.

Note: Chef Sundstrom recommends using chanterelle, lobster and porcini mushrooms. Since it’s well past the season for the later two, and I don’t have any dried mushrooms handy, I just used chanterelles.