This is a classic dish but a fabulous one – gooey and
full of rich flavours, and straightforward to make. It’s a great vegetarian
standby, although if you’re not cooking for non-meat-eaters, I’d suggest using
chicken stock instead of vegetable, just to add an extra bit of depth to the
flavour.
Ingredients
One onion
Two sticks of celery
A couple of cloves of garlic
Five or six fat closed-cup mushrooms
200g risotto rice
A generous glass of white wine
Two pints of vegetable or chicken stock
Butter
Olive oil
Salt and white pepper
Parmesan
Fresh rocket, to serve
Serves 2.
Start out by making your soffrito – this is one of the secrets of a good risotto and
consists of dicing the onion, celery and garlic very finely and frying them
gently in plenty of olive oil and butter. Personally I think you can never have
too much butter in a risotto, so if in doubt at any point, add a bit more. Keep
the heat low as you stir the vegetables and let them gradually soften without
taking on any colour. While they’re quietly sizzling, slice the mushrooms
thinly. Put a small pan on the heat and add a generous dab of butter, then add
the mushrooms and a good sprinkling of white pepper. I like to use white pepper
for this because I think mushrooms and white pepper are a match made in heaven
– somehow the rich, almost buttery spiciness goes beautifully with the earthy
taste of the mushrooms. Stir a little more until the mushrooms are starting to
turn golden and slippery, then tip them and their juices in with the soffrito.
Next, add the risotto rice, and stir around for a minute
or two until it starts to turn slightly translucent. Pour in the wine – there
should be a good sizzle and a lovely smell rising from the pan. Stir until most
of the liquid has disappeared, so that the alcohol disappears to leave only a
delicious taste.
Boil the kettle and make up your stock, then turn down
the heat under the risotto and start adding the water one ladleful at a time.
Don’t add any more until the liquid has all been absorbed.
After you’ve used up about two thirds of your stock, have
a quick taste to see if the rice is cooked to your satisfaction, then keep
adding as required. Once the rice is done, take the pan off the heat, season
well and add a bit more butter and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan, then pop
the lid on and leave it all to melt together while you lay the table. Finally,
serve up a couple of gooey spoonfuls with a big handful of peppery rocket and a
glass of white wine – fabulous.