Porcini Mushroom & Prosciutto Risotto

Preparation: 20 mins (plus some waiting time) | Cooking: 25-30 mins | Serves: 4 adults
Skill Level: Medium

Ingredients

• 300g arborio rice (risotto rice, usually short grained)
• 1ltr chicken stock
• 50g dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated and roughly chopped
• 150g fresh shiitake mushrooms roughly chopped
• 100g of thinly sliced prosciutto or pancetta, roughly chopped
• 1 medium onion
• 180 ml white wine (~¾ cup)
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped
• 2 tsp of thyme
• 2 tsp garlic chives
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 3-4 tbsp butter
• 50g parmesan cheese, finely grated
• Salt & pepper to season

Method

• Add the dried mushrooms to a bowl and pour over 300-400 ml of boiling water, stir a little and let sit for at least 30 mins (1-2 hours is better).  Once rehydrated strain liquid into a bowl and save it. Squeeze out as much liquid from the mushrooms as possible.
• Add the mushroom liquid and the chicken stock into a sauce pan and gently heat over medium to a very light simmer. 
• Heat a heavy based, high sided, pan add a little olive oil and add the prosciutto. Fry until fat renders and it is starting to crisp. Remove and set aside. Don't clean the pan.
• In the same pan, add about 1 tbsp of butter and a little more olive oil add in mushrooms and thyme and saute until the mushrooms start to brown and much of the liquid has evaporated.  Remove and set aside.
• In the same pan, heat a little more butter and olive oil, add onions and garlic and saute for about 5 mins, until onion starts to turn translucent.
• Add the rice and stir to combine. The rice needs to 'toast' a little (this adds to the flavour), about 3-5 mins.
• Add the white wine and stir in, deglazing the pan in the processes, keep stirring until wine has been absorbed.
• Here is where the fun starts, you must continue to stir during the whole cooking process.  This helps the rice absorb the liquids evenly.
• Ladle in 1-2 spoonfuls of stock and continue stirring until liquid is almost absorbed. Continue this process a couple of spoonfuls at a time.
• After ~15 mins add mushrooms back to the pan, continue stirring, adding stock when necessary.
• Taste the rice and check 'doneness', al dente is the target.  It will usually take about 25-30 mins, but can be a little shorter or longer.
• Just before the rice is done, add in ⅔ of the prosciutto and stir in.
• Turn off the heat, now add in 2-3 tbsp of butter and the parmesan cheese, saving a little cheese for serving. Stir in butter and cheese and then let the rice rest for ~5mins.
• Serve with a garnish of prosciutto, parmesan and garlic chives (or chopped spring onion).

Tips & Alternatives

• Have your stock heating and on the stove simmering before you start to cooking the onions.
• Arborio and carnaroli are traditional rice varieties for risotto, however most short grain rice will also work. Here is a nice guide by Fine Cooking for alternative rice varieties.
• This recipe is specifically for porcini mushrooms, but holds for any mushrooms you may have.
• You can use alternative stock such as beef.
• For pure vegetarian, leave out the prosciutto (you will need to season with salt instead) and use vegetable stock rather than a meat base one.