Ingredients

10 g butter
2 shallots
30 g of dried, washed and soaked porcini mushrooms, or 350 g fresh mushrooms, trimmed (optionally also chanterelles).
200 g Italian round-grain rice (Arborio)
1 fresh thyme sprig (optionally dried thyme)
1 bunch of chives
350 ml chicken stock
60 ml dry white wine
60 g cold butter cubes
1 good piece of Parmesan
Salt and pepper

In a frying pan heat the butter, add the finely diced shallots a cook them until they become translucent, then add the mushrooms. Quickly rinse the rice under cold water and add it to the mushrooms. Put the thyme in the pan and add the white wine. Boil until the wine has been completely absorbed. Now cover the rice with a little (hot) broth and let it boil. Add more broth when the rice totally has absorbed it. Repeat the procedure until there’s no more broth left. Now add the cold butter cubes, tidy rub Parmesan over it and season with salt and pepper. Good rice quality will give you a thick, creamy risotto with even a slight bite.

Before serving, you may add a tablespoon of whipped cream and chives. Enjoy the risotto with a glass of spicy red wine from the Rhône or from the Languedoc.

Instead of mushrooms and thyme you can also add a mixture of 150 g butter, 1 bunch of basil and some cloves of garlic (the whole thing mixed well in a blender) with the cheese. It’s an outstanding summer risotto to which you should drink a crispy and aromatic white wine or rosé wine.

Download the recipe here