Risotto

Place the stock in a small saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Rinse the mushrooms in warm water and add to the stock. Let the mushrooms steep for about 10 minutes to soften.

Heat the olive oil and the butter over low medium heat in a heavy saucier or wok shaped heavy pan. Add the onion and celery and slowly cook until the onion is translucent. Try not to let the onion brown. Add the brown mushrooms and cook gently. Sprinkle the salt over the vegetable mixture. Add the rice and slowly toast for 3 to 4 minutes until the edges of each grain become translucent. Add the garlic clove and cook for another minute.

Remove the dried mushrooms from the broth pot, chop and add to the rice. Add the wine or vermouth and stir and cook until the wine has nearly completely evaporated and the alcohol aroma has been cooked out. Then add the hot broth, about a cup at a time, to the rice and let the rice absorb the liquid before you add any additional. Do this in three stages and then taste the rice for tenderness. It should still have just a bit of resistance to the tooth and yet be cooked. Add the last of the liquid, if necessary, the cheese and the peas, cover and let rest for a minute.

The final texture should be creamy and moist, not dry. Plate and top with shaved truffle or a few drops of truffle oil. Serves four as a side dish or first course.


		Risotto
Risotto is as Italian as pasta but is much less familiar on Western tables. This deliciously rich and creamy rice dish is wonderful with the simple grilled meats we all like to serve during the hot weather. In Italy, risotto is usually served as a separate course, usually a starter in lieu of a pasta course. If you make a separate course, consider the addition of a few drops of truffle oil to raise it out of the ordinary. I probably wouldn’t use the truffle oil if served as a side dish. Because the ingredients are so simple it is imperative that each ingredient be the very best you can obtain. Don’t try to make this with anything but real Italian short grain rice; it will turn to mush with any other rice. The real secret to a creamy dish with some slight texture to the grains is to begin cooking the rice in oil before adding the broth. This step will keep the rice from becoming gummy. Some older recipes insist that the risotto be continually stirred as the several additions of broth are made and absorbed. That isn’t necessary if you use a seriously heavy pan like a good grade of anodized aluminum. I use the Arborio rice and mixed dried wild mushrooms from Trader Joe’s. Jarred truffles and truffle oil are available at Star market and aren’t crazy expensive. Swanson’s boxed broth is good and so is Better than Bouillon chicken base mixed as the jar directs
			4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/3 ounce dried mushrooms, any variety 2 TB olive oil 2 TB unsalted butter 3/4 cup Arborio or Carnaroli rice 1 large shallot, finely minced, plus finely minced red onion to fill one cup total 1/3 cup diced celery 1 cup diced brown cremini mushrooms 1 garlic clove, minced 1/3 cup dry white wine or vermouth 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup frozen green peas finely shaved black truffle or truffle oil (optional) Place the stock in a small saucepan and bring to a slow simmer. Rinse the mushrooms in warm water and add to the stock. Let the mushrooms steep for about 10 minutes to soften. Heat the olive oil and the butter over low medium heat in a heavy saucier or wok shaped heavy pan. Add the onion and celery and slowly cook until the onion is translucent. Try not to let the onion brown. Add the brown mushrooms and cook gently. Sprinkle the salt over the vegetable mixture. Add the rice and slowly toast for 3 to 4 minutes until the edges of each grain become translucent. Add the garlic clove and cook for another minute. Remove the dried mushrooms from the broth pot, chop and add to the rice. Add the wine or vermouth and stir and cook until the wine has nearly completely evaporated and the alcohol aroma has been cooked out. Then add the hot broth, about a cup at a time, to the rice and let the rice absorb the liquid before you add any additional. Do this in three stages and then taste the rice for tenderness. It should still have just a bit of resistance to the tooth and yet be cooked. Add the last of the liquid, if necessary, the cheese and the peas, cover and let rest for a minute. The final texture should be creamy and moist, not dry. Plate and top with shaved truffle or a few drops of truffle oil. Serves four as a side dish or first course.
	Courtesy of: Real Estate & Living www.somocorealestate.com