From Scratch: Wild Mushroom Risotto

Impress with a restaurant-quality dish that can be made at home

Story + Photography by Alea Wilkins

Risotto is often left for the professionals. Creamy, rich and perfectly balanced, it sounds too complex for the home chef, but LOCAL Life publisher Lori Goodridge-Cribb proves it’s all in the timing. Over low heat, sweet onions caramelize, and Arborio rice simmers in chicken stock and white wine. A little consistent stirring makes the magic happen, creating a thick, luxurious dish worth indulging in. When topped with wild mushrooms, this elegant risotto brings restaurant-quality to your dinner table.

Wild mushroom risotto 

Ingredients

2 cups Arborio rice

6 cups chicken stock

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, halved

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, halved

1 whole sweet or white onion, chopped

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup Parmesan cheese

Fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 cup white wine (Lori prefers Kim Crawford’s Sauvignon Blanc)

Directions

[1] Add a third of the chopped onions to a pan with mushrooms. Add remaining onions to a large pot or Dutch oven. Sauté each over medium-low heat with 2 tablespoons butter, a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. In a different pot, warm chicken stock over medium heat.

[2] Add rice to the large pot with onions. Stir for a couple minutes, until rice is slightly toasted. Add white wine. Simmer until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 3-5 minutes.

[3] Ladle two cups of warmed chicken stock into the pot with rice and onions. Stir intermittently until liquid has mostly been absorbed, then add another cup of chicken stock. Repeat until rice is tender and desired consistency has been reached, 30-ish minutes.

[4] Stir in Parmesan cheese. Season with more salt and pepper to taste.

[5] Spoon risotto into bowls. Top with sautéd mushrooms, chopped parsley and more cheese if desired.