Mushroom Risotto

I love Risotto - all kinds, and my favorite is probably just a simple white risotto. I love the simplicity of it and enjoy eating it as is, but I also love that it is the basis of all other risottos, so its easy to start with and change whenever you feel the urge. Like tonight, I wanted to use up some nice mushrooms I had, a mix of white and cremini and I thought, how about a mushroom risotto?

Mushroom Risotto 

• 2 Tbs butter
• 2 Tbs olive oil
• 1 cup arborio (or carnaroli) rice
• 4 cups hot chicken broth
• 1 shallot, minced (if you don't have a shallot use 1/2 a sweet onion and double the garlic)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup white wine (optional but nice)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parm
• extra 1 Tbs butter (optional)
• 1 lb mushrooms
• 2 Tbs butter

Basic Risotto technique: use a cast iron skillet, heat the butter and the olive oil. Add the shallot and cook over medium heat for a few minutes until softened, not browned. Add the garlic and cook, stirring for another minute. Add the rice and stir to coat each grain with fat. The edges of the rice will turn transparent (or at least translucent). Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed/evaporated. Add 1/2 cup hot broth and stir until the rice has taken up most of the liquid, continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time and stirring - you do not have to stir every second, but you don't want the rice to stick and you do want it to cook evenly. After about 20-25 mins all of your broth should be used and your risotto should look nice and creamy and the rice should be cooked al dente. You can add some more hot broth and keep stirring if it isn't cooked to your liking. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese and additional butter if desired. You can sprinkle this with some parsley and of course season it with some salt and pepper and you can serve it just like that...or for mushroom risotto, saute (ahead of time, or while you are making the risotto) 1 lb of mixed rough chopped mushrooms in 2 Tbs butter. Cook until mushrooms give up their liquid and then the liquid is cooked down. Season with salt and pepper and maybe a little thyme. Add the mushrooms to the white risotto when you take the rice off heat, with the parm. Stir to distribute through.