How to make the perfect Mushroom Risotto

**Preparation and cooking time:** 45 to 60 minutes
**Serves four people**

---

Italian cuisine has spread all over the world like wildfire. It’s simplicity, depth of flavour, and comforting features have made its classics family favourites in households on all corners of the globe.

Risotto is one of those world-beating, winning dishes which everyone should have on their list of ‘can-do’ homemade dinners, as it is perfect for sharing with friends and loved ones, and is delectably moreish.

This mushroom risotto is a simple one to start with, but in many ways, it is far better than many of the more complicated versions of this dish. This recipe uses dried porcini mushrooms, which you can find in most supermarkets. If you can get hold of fresh ones, don’t hesitate to - they’re one of the most delicious and sought after ingredients on earth!

---

What you'll need:

• Two tablespoons of olive oil
• One large tablespoon of dried porcini mushrooms
• One white onion, chopped
• Two cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• Two hundred and twenty grams of chopped mushroom - either normal white mushrooms, or chestnut mushrooms
• One hundred and fifty millilitres of dry white wine
• Three hundred and fifty grams of arborio rice
• One litre of vegetable stock
• Two tablespoons of chopped, fresh parsley
• Twenty-five grams of butter
• Salt and Pepper
• Grated Parmesan cheese (or similar) to serve

---

Method

First

You need to begin by soaking the porcini mushrooms. Stick them in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water for ten minutes - the water should turn brown and the mushrooms swell a little.

Second

Heat your olive oil in a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Soften the garlic and the onions for a couple of minutes, but don’t allow them to brown. Add the chopped fresh mushrooms, and continue to gently fry for three minutes.

Third

Now, stir in all of your rice, and make sure each grain has a shiny coating of olive oil. Chuck in your white wine, and simmer it until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring more or less continuously.

Fourth

Get a ladle, and add a ladleful of stock to the rice, again stirring very regularly. Allow the rice to absorb more of the liquid, then add another ladleful. Continue doing this with the stock until all the liquid is absorbed, and the rice becomes cooked and tender.

Fifth

Roughly chop up your dried mushrooms, and stir them all into your risotto along with the butter, parsley, and some salt and pepper. Serve your risotto in a bowl, steaming hot, topped with freshly grated Parmesan. What could be better than that?

---

Wine pairing for Mushroom Risotto

This classic Italian dish will taste fantastic with most good wines, as it has a real depth of savoury flavour and fascinating aroma which pairs comfortably with almost anything, and will keep you going back for more.

However in order to make the most of that richness and depth, I’d recommend a full-bodied white wine - a white Burgundy made of aged, oaked Chardonnay, for example, or a really good Pinot Gris. This is one of those combinations you won’t forget in a hurry!

---

There you have it --a simple mushroom risotto recipe that will surely press all the right buttons!

Now is the perfect time to take our wine profile quiz so we can match you with the 3 types of wine that best suit your taste!

Next up: Take our Wine Palate Quiz and match your personal tastes to your top three wine types