Recipe Notes | Baked Wild Mushroom Risotto

Baked risotto is a real game changer. This fuss free twist gives the rice a really velvety creamy texture, the ultimate in luxurious feeling comfort food that’s perfect for family meals and impressing guests. So if you are in the mood for risotto then why not try our tried and tested recipe that’s easy to make and gluten free too!

Serves 4 generously as main or 6 as a starter

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely diced

10g dried Porcini mushrooms – can be purchased here.

2 large knobs of butter (or use olive oil)

1 x pack wild mushrooms – sliced lengthways

1 x pack Shitake mushrooms – sliced lengthways

A large mug of arborio rice (approx. 180ml level in a measuring jug)

160ml dry white wine

700ml hot chicken or vegetable stock

3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan (or as much as you like!)

Bunch of fresh parsley chopped

Bunch of fresh chives chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Put the dried Porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling hot water and leave to soak for 20 minutes (or check the packet for instructions) – set a timer!

While the Porcini mushrooms come to life, turn the oven on at 180°c and finely dice the onion. Then melt a knob of butter in a le creuset dish or casserole pot that has a lid (if you haven’t got a lid you can use a dish and cover tightly with two layers of foil), and add the onion and sweat for 4-5 minutes until translucent.

Next add the rice and coat in the butter and stir for about a minute. Add the wine and reduce as you would normally. Once the wine has reduced, add the stock, season with salt and pepper and, after placing the lid, on top, put in the oven. The timer for the porcini mushrooms should have gone off by now so the mushrooms and the liquid (don’t throw the liquid away!) can be added to the risotto mix before it goes into the oven. If the timer hasn’t gone yet, you can remove the casserole pot from the oven and add as soon as they are ready. The risotto in the oven will need to bake for 18 minutes and we recommend setting another timer.

In a separate pan, melt another knob of butter (or use olive oil) and then fry off the wild mushrooms and shitake mushrooms. We didn’t add garlic but if you wanted to add a crushed clove now would be the time to add it.

Once the mushrooms are nicely browned, season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat. Stir in the parmesan away from the heat and as soon as the risotto is ready add the mushrooms and mix in with fresh parsley and chives.

We’ve made this dish a few different ways – a nice variation is to use bacon (amazing nitrate free available here from Finnebrogue) and other veggies that can be added at the last minute like sautéed courgettes, asparagus, peppers – anything goes and it’s lovely to have a risotto dish that you don’t have to stand over constantly stirring. Enjoy!

Images: Humphrey Munson