This Charming Kitchen

I thought a lot about what I wanted to make for Thanksgiving this year and the answer, my friends, was wild mushroom risotto. 

I used to have this recipe for it that I loved but said recipe was contained in a cookbook that technically belonged to my ex and in the heat of my grief at our breakup, I did not have the presence of mind to steal it....

*heavy sigh*

Over the years, I've searched for another one and now I have found it.  This is originally from Bon Appetit, but if anybody ever asks me from here on out, I am swearing that I made it up.

Ingredients:

• 9 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided (although I only used about 5 1/2 tablespoons)
• 1 1/2 lbs fresh wild mushrooms (such as porcini, hen of the woods, chanterelle, or stemmed shiitake) (I used shiitake and portobello).  I cut mine into manageable pieces.
• 7 cups (about) low-salt chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped leek (white and pale green parts only)
• 1 1/4 cups arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup white vermouth (I skipped the vermouth and used 1/2 cup of the white - but you can live your bliss)
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese plus a little extra on top [optional]

Directions:

• melt 2 tablespoons of butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat - although I only used about 1 tablespoons of butter here.  Add 1/4 of mushrooms and sprinkle with salt.  Saute mushrooms until tender and beginning to brown, 3-4 minutes.  Transfer mushrooms to medium bowl  Working in 3 more batches, repeat, adding more butter until all mushrooms are cooked.  And do this, OK?  Don't just lump them all in there and cook them at the same time.  You want one layer at a time.  Otherwise, they'll steam and get mushy instead of saute and cook the way you want them to.
• In the meantime, bring 7 cups chicken broth to simmer in large medium saucepan; keep warm
• Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat (I use my dutch oven for this)
• Add leak to butter and olive oil and saute until tender
• Add rice and increase heat to medium.  Stir until edges of rice begin to look translucent, about 3-4 minutes
• Add wine/vermouth and stir until liquid is absorbed
• Add broth by ladle-full and stir until almost all broth is absorbed.  
• Continue adding broth by ladle, waiting until almost all broth is absorbed before adding more
• When rice is halfway cooked, about 10 minutes, stir in sauteed mushrooms
• Continue adding broth by ladle, stirring until broth is absorbed before adding more until rice is tender but still firm to bite and risotto is creamy, about 10 more minutes
• Stir in 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.

The key to good risotto is to be patient and not try to skip ahead and also to stir it constantly.  You also must serve it immediately!  It will not keep!  It's like a morning glory - you must enjoy it immediately and fully because it will not survive the day.

This makes a very warm and hearty meal with good crusty bread.  Be like the French and have your salad afterward. 
Image and recipe courtesy of Bon Appetit.