Creamy Mushroom Risotto

Risotto is an easy dish and a great way to showcase Hazel Dell mushrooms. This recipe is for two and takes about an hour. You can definitely scale up for more people! See the end of the recipe for notes on ingredient choices and utensils that work best.

Ingredients

Arborio rice: 3/4 cup (150 g)
Fresh mushrooms mix (shiitake, oyster, cremini, etc): 8 oz (200 g) sliced, woody stems removed
Pinot Grigio (or other dry white wine): 1/2 cup (120 ml)
Stock (chicken, mushroom, or vegetable): 3 cups (700 ml)
Onion: 1/2 medium yellow or white onion, finely diced
Garlic: 2 cloves, minced
Parmigiano-Reggiano: 1/2 cup (33 g) freshly grated
Butter: 2 tablespoons (28 g)
Olive oil: 1 tablespoon (15 ml)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper: to taste

Instructions

Warm the broth: In a small saucepan, bring the 600 ml of broth to a gentle simmer over low heat. Keeping it warm helps the rice release its starches properly.

Sauté the mushrooms: In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp of butter over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and a pinch of salt. If you’re cooking oyster or lion’s mane mushrooms they need less time - add them after 3 or 4 minutes. Sauté until browned and tender (about 6-10 minutes). Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set them aside on a plate.

Cook the aromatics: In the same pan, turn the heat down to medium. Add a little olive oil if the pan is dry. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.

Toast the rice: Add the Arborio rice to the pan with the onions and garlic. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes until the edges of the rice grains become translucent but the centers remain white.

Deglaze with wine: Pour in the Pinot Grigio. Stir continuously until the wine is almost completely absorbed by the rice, which adds a bright, acidic depth to the dish.

Add the broth gradually: Add the warm broth about 1/2 cup at a time. Stir frequently, and wait until the liquid is mostly absorbed before adding the next batch. Monitor the heat for a gentle simmer. Continue this process for about 20-25 minutes. The rice should be cooked through but still slightly al dente, and the mixture should look thick and creamy, not dry. If you run out of broth before the rice is cooked through, add warm water.

Finish: Stir the cooked mushrooms back into the risotto. Remove the pan from the heat, and vigorously stir in the remaining 1 tbsp of butter and the 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Do not add all the cheese at once. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Recipe Notes

Cooking times can vary! Stoves are different, and rice times can be especially different at different altitudes and climates. The times here are only a guideline, so use your senses - cook the mushrooms until they are brown, cook the onion until it is translucent, cook the rice until it tastes like you want it to taste.

If you do not want to use white wine, you can sub in a 1/3 cup of stock with 1-2 tbsp of lemon juice or vinegar. You need some acidity to balance the richness. 

Don't settle for anything but genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese in this, and do not buy it pre-grated. It's also highly recommended to grate this with a fine bladed Microplane grater or similar so it melts nicely rather than becoming grainy. You'll also want to be sure add it gradually and mix in thoroughly before adding another handful. This is the secret to getting it to "join" the sauce and not separate.

Mushroom notes: oyster and lion’s mane will get dry and chewy if you cook them too long. So, while we do recommend a mix of mushrooms, if you’re using those we recommend waiting to sauté them until you see browning start on the other mushrooms.

Want to use dried mushrooms? No problem! Use 1 oz of dried for every 8 oz of fresh. It’s best to use a kitchen scale for this. Bring 3 cups of water to a simmer in a medium sauce pan, take it off the heat, add the mushrooms, and place a small saucer or plate on top to hold them all under water. They will be rehydrated in about 30 minutes. Bonus - you can use the soaking liquid as the stock for making your risotto!