Do not let the fear of continuous stirring put you off this risotto. The secret to an enjoyable risotto is to cook it slowly while stirring, so as to release and stabilise the starch within the arborio rice. Adding too much stock at once will only produce gluggy risotto, so make sure you only a ladle of stock when the rice is looking dry and thirsty. The nutty flavour of the mushroom paired with the hard Italian cheese are the perfect additions to the rice.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Boxes and ingredients are packed in facilities that handles Peanut, Nuts, Sesame, Fish, Crustaceans, Milk, Egg, Mustard, Celery, Soya, Gluten and Sulphites. Due to the war in Ukraine, it has been necessary to substitute sunflower oil with rapeseed oil in some products without a label change. The FSA have advised that allergic reactions to rapeseed oil are rare.
1
Vegetable Stock Pot
(Contains Celery, Sulphites)
1
Onion
1
Garlic Clove
1
Chestnut Mushrooms
1
Flat Leaf Parsley
175
Risotto Rice
1
White Wine Vinegar
(Contains Sulphites)
30
Unsalted Butter
(Contains Milk)
40
Grated Hard Italian Style Cheese
(Contains Milk, Egg)
800
Water
Bring the water to the boil (amount specified in the ingredient list) in a medium pot, add the vegetable stock pot and stir to dissolve. Then place over low heat to keep warm.
Cut the onion in half through the root. Peel and then chop into small chunks (½cm is perfect). Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press if you have one). Slice the mushrooms as thinly as you can. Roughly chop the parsley.
In a wide-bottomed saucepan, heat a glug of oil over medium heat. Add your onion and cook for 5 mins or until soft. Add the arborio rice, coat the grains and cook for 1 minute more. Tip: You want the rice grains to become slightly translucent. Pour in the white wine vinegar, add half of your mushrooms and cook for 2 mins until your vinegar evaporates.
Add a ladle of hot stock and stir continuously until your stock has been absorbed, then add another ladle. Repeat this process for approximately 20-25 mins or until your rice is ‘al dente’. Tip: ‘Al dente’ simply means the rice is cooked through but has a tiny bit of firmness left in the middle.
Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add your remaining mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally until your mushrooms are brown and juicy. Add your garlic and cook for 1 minute more, then add half your parsley. Keep to one side.
When your rice is cooked, tip your mushrooms and any pan juices into your rice, taste and season accordingly. Add half of the hard Italian cheese, the leftover butter and stir well.
Divide your mushroom risotto between your bowls and sprinkle with your remaining hard Italian cheese and parsley.