myCILEx
Journal seasonal recipe:
a speedy supper
Wild mushroom and rocket risotto
Autumn is the mellower season, and what we lose in flowers we more than gain in fruits (Samuel Butler).
When autumn comes, so does a real gift for the palate. In autumn, the woods become a unique pantry offering many different species of edible wild mushrooms. Happily, we do not need to risk life and limb foraging for wild mushrooms: supermarkets now sell a variety of wild mushrooms. Wild mushrooms, wild rocket and celery combine together wonderfully to make this creamy risotto.
- 300g Arborio rice
- 2 to 3 handfuls of wild mushrooms
- 1 stick of celery, thinly sliced
- Handful of dry porcini mushrooms, hydrated and then chopped, (reserve the liquid)
- 600ml chicken or vegetable stock
- Glass of white wine
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 70g wild rocket
- Knob of butter
- Dollop of crème fraiche
- Olive oil
- 50g parmesan cheese
- Black pepper
Heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Add the onion and celery, and cook until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and stir through. Add the rice and stir to coat the rice thoroughly. Turn up the heat and add the wine until fully absorbed. Add the chopped porcini mushrooms and the reserved liquid.
Stir until most of liquid has been absorbed. Stir in a ladleful of hot stock over moderate heat stirring continuously (it is important that you add hot stock when making a risotto, otherwise, you bring down the temperature of the risotto while cooking). Keep doing this until the stock is used up or the rice is el dente. Pan fry the wild mushrooms before adding final ladle of stock.
When the rice has cooked, add 40gs of the rocket and let it wilt into the risotto. Add the crème fraiche, and stir through and plate up. Add wild mushrooms on top and a good grating of parmesan cheese. Season with pepper and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.