Next level mushroom risotto

Method

• step 1

  Tip the dried porcini into a bowl and cover with boiling water, then leave to rehydrate and cool. When the mushrooms have plumped up, drain well and squeeze them out, reserving the liquid. Finely chop the rehydrated mushrooms and set aside. Tip the stock into a saucepan then carefully pour in the mushroom soaking liquid, leaving any gritty residue in the bowl.

• step 2

  Heat half of the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat and sizzle the garlic in it for a few minutes until cooked but not coloured. Add the sliced fresh mushrooms to the garlic, stirring to coat, then leave to cook for a minute or two. You want to stew them rather than fry them. Add a splash of the wine, season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes more until the mushrooms soften completely, then turn off the heat and set aside.

• step 3

  Bring the chicken and mushroom stock to a simmer then leave over a low heat so it’s bubbling gently. Meanwhile heat the rest of the butter in a wide, shallow saucepan and scatter in the onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 5 mins until the onion is soft but not coloured. Turn the heat up to medium, stir in the rice and chopped rehydrated mushrooms and cook for 3 mins, stirring until the rice is coated in butter and turns pearly and translucent. Pour in the rest of the wine and stir for about 2 mins until the alcohol has evaporated.

• step 4

  Add the parmesan rind to the pan if you have it and pour a ladleful of the simmering stock into the rice. Stir well until absorbed, then continue the process. The rice should be bubbling, and each addition should be mostly absorbed before more stock is added. After 15-20 mins the rice should be tender with a slight chalky bite. The overall consistency should be thick and creamy but not sloppy – you should be able to see the bottom of the pan when you draw a spoon through it. Turn the heat down, then stir the stewed mushrooms and parsley through the rice and cook for a minute more to heat through.

• step 5

  Take the pan off the heat and leave to stand for a minute, then to finish, vigorously beat in the cold butter and all but a handful of the parmesan. Stir with enough vigour that you hear the rice slapping against the side of the pan. Keep on stirring until the butter and cheese have melted together and the sauce surrounding the rice is thick and oozing. Serve the risotto straightaway ladled into warm bowls, topped with the remaining parmesan and the chopped parsley.