Mushroom Risotto: Exotic Italian Recipe

Wednesday, January 25, 2012, 12:57

Mushroom risotto, as the name suggests is a very exotic dish; Italian to be specific. But if you actually get down to the basics it is an easy Italian recipe to try at home. The specialty of a risotto recipe is the rice and the starch. In this easy Italian recipe, the starch that comes out of the boiling rice gives the flavour to the dish.

You need a special variety of rice for risotto called Arborio rice to make mushroom risotto. If you do not find this Italian rice for the recipe, then supplement with the small fat rice used for grinding and making pan cakes (dosas). Other than mushrooms you can try this easy Italian recipe with other vegetables too; all you have to make sure is that they go with the cheesy taste of this risotto recipe. Rice risotto is not exactly diet food but you can indulge in gourmet cuisine on special occasions

Ingredients For Mushroom Risotto (Italian Rice Recipe):

1. Mushrooms 8-10 (cut into halves)
2. Rice (arborio preferred) 2 cups
3. Brandy or White wine 3 cups
4. Vegetable stock 4-5 cups
5. Shallots or baby onions 2 (chopped finely)
6. Parmesan cheese 2 cubes (grated)
7. Parsley or coriander leaves ' cup (chopped)
8. Butter 2 tablespoons
9. Ground pepper 1 tablespoon
10. Salt as per taste

Procedure For Mushroom Risotto:

Put the stock to boil on low flame. You can either buy canned vegetable stock or make it yourself by boiling your favourite vegetables with salt and pepper and draining the water.
In another deep pan, melt the butter and saute the onions for 2 minutes before adding the mushrooms. Keep the flame on medium for 3-4 minutes as the mushrooms cook in their own juice.
Add rice to this and stir and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Now pour in the brandy (or wine) and boil it on high flame. The liquid has to be reduced by half.
Now pour the steaming stock, one cup full at a time. You have to stir in the stock and wait till it gets totally absorbed, then pour the next cup.
It takes about half an hour to do this and you have to stir continuously for this duration.
In the last few minutes garnish with the grated cheese and parsley; season with salt and pepper.

You must serve mushroom risotto hot or else it becomes a mound.