Wild Mushroom Risotto with Shiitake, Crimini, and Oyster Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS

For the Stock

5 cups chicken stock
3 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Mushrooms

1-pound mushrooms, Try to mix up several varieties. I like to use shiitakes, crimini, and oyster mushrooms.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the Risotto

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1½ cups Arborio rice
¾ cup white wine
¾ cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan
Salt and white pepper to taste

For the Garnish

Grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
Fresh rosemary sprigs

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium pot, heat the stock, rosemary sprigs, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer. The stock needs to be warm when you add it to the risotto, so keep it on low heat while you prepare the risotto.
Clean the mushrooms using a damp paper towel. Remove all discolored stems. If you’re using shiitake mushrooms, remove all of their stems. Shiitakes have tough stems so you only need the caps. Slice the mushrooms and place the slices in a mixing bowl.
In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and sauté until just cooked through. Remove from the heat and reserve in the mixing bowl.
In a deep 10-12 inch skillet, heat the olive oil on medium-low. Do not let the oil get too hot. You don’t want to burn the shallots or the garlic. As soon as the oil is warm, add the shallots and sauté, stirring often, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, being careful not to let the garlic brown.
Add the rice and stir until evenly coated in olive oil. The sides of the rice kernels will become translucent as they absorb the oil. Again, be careful not to brown the rice. You’ll only need to do this for about 1 minute before removing the pan from the heat, so pay attention!
Remove from the heat. Add the white wine and stir to coat the rice. The wine will cook down quickly since the pan will still be hot.
Place the pan back over medium heat. Now it’s time to ladle the warm stock into the rice, a little at a time.
Discard the rosemary sprigs from the stock. Using a soup ladle, add just enough warm stock to cover the rice. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed.
Repeat the process, adding just enough stock to just cover the rice. Simmer, stirring the rice constantly, until the stock is almost all used. Continue this process until almost all of the stock has been used. I like to give the risotto a test bite just before the stock is gone—sometimes you don’t need all of the stock. The rice should be cooked through, but still have some texture. If the rice seems too hard, add that last bit of stock.
Fold in the cream, ½ cup grated Parmesan, and half of the cooked mushrooms. Stir gently to combine. Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
Divide the risotto into 6 serving bowls. Place the remaining mushrooms on top of the risotto and garnish with a little more Parmesan and sprigs of fresh rosemary. Enjoy!