Mushroom Mushroom! Its A Risotto!
I make risotto once in a blue moon. After the great Losing Weight campaign of last year, the buttery goodness of risotto was banished. with all this rainy cold weather lately, I had an irresistible urge to make risotto and since I am are currently in the What-is-thing-called-Calories phase, I turned a blind eye to the giant knob of butter and cup of parmesan cheese that went into the risotto.
And here we go, again with the stock lecture! A good risotto is first and foremost built on a good stock. I made a stock from a roasted chicken carcass I had in my freezer. The first boil with just the chook bones to skim off the ick. The second boil, I chucked in 2 carrots, 2 stalks of limp celery, 1 spring onion and a few slices of fennel. Let it boil away and keep skimming off the residue. Once done, I let it sit for a while
and go to the pub for a cider. When we get back, drain away the veggies and bones. I find the whole process
of making stock an immensely rewarding and relaxing way to while away a Sunday afternoon. Oh, that and the pub.
Okay so that’s the stock taken off. Now comes the fun part. Melt a thick slither of butter in a pot, pour in 1 and a bit cup of aborio rice. Mix well until the grains are glistening. Decide at this point, thyme would work well and add that in. Now add stock a scoopful at a time and
stir well. Each time the liquid level in the risotto starts getting low, keep adding stock and stir. This will take about 15-20 minutes. Halfway through, add more butter, a half glass of white wine and a tray full of chopped gourmet mushroom mix which included enoki and swiss brown. When almost ready, the risotto should have the consistency
of wet porridge. The rice will have a slight crunch but be very soft. Add chopped garlic chives and 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Salt and Pepper. Stir well and allow to rest. And voila!
Mushroom risotto on its own is sort of satisfyingly bland but rich at the same time offering a delightful juxtaposition to the Pesto Chicken Menange a Trois I served it with. Running out of breadcrumbs is the mother of invention.
Pesto was made by the husband and the whizzer machine. Chicken no 1 - pesto crumbed chicken. Chicken no 2 - Prosciutto wrapped pesto stuffed chicken. Chicken no 3 - chicken pesto involtini. 1 slice of each on top of some rocket and on top of the mushroom risotto with a few crisp shards of chilli pancetta. Voila!
A bit of complicated dinner magic and a glass of buttery chardonnay, Sunday Dinner is served!
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