This is a slightly simplified version of the risotto Bob made after foraging for morels during an episode of his Food Network show Glutton for Punishment. This recipe uses dried morels. Of course if you have fresh morels, risotto is the perfect use for them.

 

2 ounces dried morels or other dried mushrooms. (If you have fresh morels,use 4 ounces of them roughly chopped, in place of the dried mushrooms). Add them while sautéing the onion and garlic to brown them.

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 leek, pale green section only, or 1 medium size onion finely chopped, then washed thoroughly

1 cup arborio rice (Available in many grocery stores and all Italian food

stores.)

1/4 cup any dry white wine (suggestion: buy a nice crisp Italian wine and serve the rest with dinner)

3 cups chicken stock, or vegetable stock (if you have some extra dried morels, add some to the stock to intensify the mushroom essence.)

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, stems removed and minced or 1 teaspoon dried

thyme

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ - ½ cups Parmigiano-Reggiano, ideally freshly grated

 

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Place dried mushrooms in a medium size bowl and add water. Let stand for 30 minutes. Strain and reserve mushrooms and liquids separately. Let mushrooms cool, then slice.

 

In a heavy medium-size pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Immediately add garlic and leek and stir for 3 minutes, or until the leek is translucent.

 

In a second pot, bring stock and mushroom water to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer.

 

Add rice to the garlic and leeks and stir vigorously for about 30 seconds until all of the rice grains are coated in oil.

 

Add wine to the rice, reduce heat to medium, and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed.

 

Use a ladle to add 1/2 cup of the hot stock to the rice. Stir frequently. Each time the stock is almost fully absorbed, add another 1/2 cup. Continue stirring and adding stock until rice is creamy yet still a little firm to the bite. (It may not be necessary to use all of the stock.) The total cooking time, once the rice has been added, should not be more than about 25 minutes. To keep the rice slightly creamy, don’t wait until the last ladle full of stock is totally absorbed before pulling it off the heat and serving.

 

Remove from the heat. Stir in mushrooms (if using dried ones), thyme, butter, pepper, and three quarters of the parmesan. Serve on warmed plates and top with a sprinkle of parmiggiano.