As you know from my recent post,
Fantastic Fungi, I really love
good mushrooms.
Of all the varieties out there, fresh porcini mushrooms are
probably my number one favorite. While I use them, dried porcini just don’t
have the same flavor.
As you can imagine, they are not plentiful in the desert. In
fact, it is hard to get anyone to ship them to me, as they are incredibly
fragile.
One of our local markets will occasionally carry fresh exotic
mushrooms that come from the Pacific Northwest.
Chanterelles, morels, and porcini are the three I watch for.
Recently, I was at that store for a really quick errand –
probably milk for my morning cocoa. I walked in, and was passing through the
produce section, when I saw little round-ish boxes of mushrooms, which is not
how they usually sell them.
Could it be? After all, it is autumn and autumn is the season for
good mushrooms…
I walked up to the display and was so happy to find boxes of
beautiful, plump boletus edulis… fresh porcini mushrooms, for the price of
small house. Actually, the price wasn’t too exorbitant, so I bought 4 ounces.
And this is what I made…
~ David
Fresh Porcini Mushroom Risotto
4 cups light meat broth •
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 ounces fresh porcini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 shallot, minced
1 cup arborio rice
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon chopped nepitella •• or flat leaf parsley
freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving
Bring the broth to a boil in a
saucepan, then reduce heat and keep at a simmer on the back of the stove.
Melt the butter together with the olive oil in a large kettle
over medium-high heat. Sauté the porcini until they have taken on color and are
golden at the edges. Reserve 2 slices for garnish (4 slices, if serving as a
primo course).
Add the rice and sauté a minute or so longer until it is opaque.
Add the wine and stir, continuing to cook until the spoon leaves a trail on the
bottom of the pan.
Then, one ladleful at a time, add the simmering broth. Continue
to stir after each ladleful until the spoon leaves a trail in the pot, and before
adding the next ladleful of broth. Continue adding broth in this manner,
stirring constantly, until all the broth is used up.
Add the nepitella (or parsley) and stir well. Don’t let the
risotto get too thick. It will thicken considerably as it comes to serving
temperature at the table. You want it al ondine (literally, “to the
wave”).
Divide among serving bowls and top with grated cheese and the
reserved porcini slices.
Serves 2 as a main course, 4 as a first course.
• Canned beef broth is too strong for this
risotto, so consider using a very light chicken broth flavored with a little
beef bouillon, or a 1/2 teaspoon of beef bouillon paste.
• Nepitella, also know as calamint or cat mint (not catnip!), is
an herb that grows in Tuscany and is used with porcini mushrooms. Its leaves
have a light floral fragrance. We learned this in Tuscany, and then learned in
Rome that if nepitella isn’t available, we should just use parsley.
John | heneedsfood
October 15, 2016 at 6:34 pmWhat a perfect way to use those glorious porcini mushrooms. I bet you gasped when you first saw them sitting there in the market!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2016 at 2:18 pmNot sure if it was a gasp or a squeal, John! I keep looking, hoping they show up again!
Marcelle
October 15, 2016 at 10:56 pmDavid, I love mushroom risotto and I want to eat that whole bowl, right now! I fell in love with chanterelles back in my traveling days and I've never seen them here at home. I will try this dish with what I can find at our market, but chanterelles would be dreamy in this!!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2016 at 2:20 pmMarcelle – I have often found nice chanterelles (which would definitely be amazing in this Risotto) at Whole Foods. I hope you find some and give this a try!
Liz (Good Things)
October 15, 2016 at 11:14 pmOh my! xxx
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2016 at 2:20 pmThanks, Liz!
Sippity Sup
October 16, 2016 at 1:26 pmWe're very lucky to have a mushroom farmer at our Farmers Market. The selection is highly seasonal, but there is always an exotic treat. This risotto is the perfect showcase for you gorgeous shrooms. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2016 at 2:22 pmYes, Greg – You are lucky! We have one or tow vendors at our farmers market that carry oyster mushrooms, and I keep hoping they find ways to grow more in the desert!
Caroline @ Pinch Me, I'm Eating!
October 16, 2016 at 10:22 pmThis looks delicious! I love exotic mushrooms. I'll have to keep an eye out to see if I can find any porcinis!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2016 at 2:23 pmPorcini are the hardest to find, Caroline – I hope you are successful, as they are worth all the time you spend looking!
Caroline @ Pinch Me, I'm Eating!
October 21, 2016 at 9:59 pmI actually realized that included in my recent Try the World box from Italy was a package of dried porcini mushroom risotto! I made it last week and it was delicious! I'm sure it's even more amazing with fresh porcinis but I have to say I'm glad I have a second package of the risotto!
All That I'm Eating
October 17, 2016 at 10:10 amYes please! Such an autumnal dish and so full of flavour – those mushrooms look amazing.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2016 at 2:23 pmThanks, Caroline – they were amazing and I hope I find more soon!
Cheri Savory Spoon
October 17, 2016 at 9:48 pmWhat a delightful dish David! nepitella sounds like a magical herb, never heard of it before. Do you grow your own?
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2016 at 2:25 pmHi Cheri – the Latin name for nepitella is Clinopodium nepeta. It is very easily grown here although can die away in our hot summers. But you can easily grow it Oregon! It is known as catmin and calamint.
Nicole (RieglPalate.com)
October 17, 2016 at 11:16 pmMushrooms are one of my favorite foods but alas I don't think I've ever had a fresh porcini mushroom. Given our close proximity to Kennett Square, the mushroom capital of the world, I think I can remedy this.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 18, 2016 at 2:26 pmWhen I was a kid, Nicole, they were only growing white button mushrooms in Kennett Square! I think they eventually hopped on the portobello train. Do you think they grow porcini?
Jill @ Teatime in Paris
October 18, 2016 at 5:39 pmLove it: "… for the price of a small house"
David, this looks beautiful and delicious with fresh porcini – a real treat indeed and as ever your photos are so tempting!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 27, 2016 at 5:20 pmWell – fresh porcini and fresh truffles are two of my favorite things! I just came back from my travels with a lovely Burgundy summer truffle. I can't wait to try it tonight!
ChgoJohn
October 19, 2016 at 5:25 amI have fungus envy, David. I've yet to see porcini around there in the fall.I do take advantage of them when I find them in the spring, however. Using them in risotto is a must and you've shared an excellent recipe and method. So glad, too, that you warned against using prepared beef broth. Even the low sodium types are usually too salty for many dishes. Thanks for sharing another winner.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 27, 2016 at 5:21 pmOne – if you have fungus envy now, aren't going to be happy with an upcoming post with my summer truffle! It was worth every penny…
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
October 25, 2016 at 11:29 pmRisotto–great choice. A friend is growing oyster mushrooms, and has a temporary glut, so I am taking a few lbs off her hands. My once only attempt at risotto failed (though I love it)–perhaps I will have to try again.
Cocoa & Lavender
October 27, 2016 at 5:21 pmWow, Inger – friend with a glut of oyster mushrooms is a friend indeed! Enjoy!
Christina | Christina's Cucina
October 29, 2016 at 9:29 pmOh one of my favorite types of risotto! You just can't beat fresh mushrooms, especially porcini. Although, I have a thing for chanterelles as they evoke childhood memories of hunting for them in the forests of Scotland. What a feeling to spy one of the glorious yellow prizes as a child! I really need to go back in autumn to go mushroom hunting again!
Cocoa & Lavender
October 30, 2016 at 6:24 pmChanterelles are lovely but, to me, don't light a candle to the flavor and texture of porcini. I do have a chanterelle recipe coming up for you, though – keep an eye out for it round Christmas time!
Provence WineZine
November 8, 2016 at 7:36 pmI am a huge fan of mushrooms! Porcini and chanterelles are some of my very favorites. Wish I knew more…. I accompanied the local pharmacist on a mushroom hunt in Lourmarin but, even with his stamp of approval, I was a tad bit nervous! Have you gone mushroom hunting? The risotto looks terrific.
Cocoa & Lavender
November 12, 2016 at 3:46 pmI went funghi hunting once with a mycologist from the New York State Museum – and trusted him completely. It was great eating all those wild mushrooms. Maybe I will get to do that when we are in Tuscany next September!