This gorgeous autumnal risotto is packed with flavour, from the earthy foraged parasol mushrooms, the nuttiness of roasted chestnuts and the wonderful umami flavour of sea lettuce. Top with an indulgent drizzle of truffle oil and grated cheese.
This recipe is a concoction of ingredients found in this November's Forage Box, a subscription service delivering delicious wild ingredients to your door. From foraged mushrooms, wild samphire, wood sorrel, juicy sloes to fiery horseradish.
Whether it is blitzing wild garlic to throw into pasta for a rushed weeknight dinner; enjoying British chanterelle mushrooms on toast as part of a lazy Sunday brunch; Forage Box is all about enhancing everyday cooking with brilliant ingredients from nature's back garden. Find out how all it works here.
INGREDIENTS (Serves 4 generously)
100g whole chestnuts
8g dried parasol mushrooms
10g dried porcini mushrooms
1 litre vegetable stock
25g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 leek, roughly sliced
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
300g pack fresh shiitake mushrooms, other mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
300g risotto rice
Splash of dry white wine
50g parmesan, finely grated
2 tsp dried sea lettuce
truffle oil (optional)
METHOD
Pre-heat the oven to 220 c. (fan)
Roast chestnuts for 5-7 minutes, switch the oven off and set the chestnuts aside to cool.
Slice the parasol mushrooms in half and place in a small bowl along with the porcini mushrooms. Fill with boiling water and leave them to soak whilst you start on the risotto).
Put the stock in a small saucepan over a low heat and leave to simmer gently. Put a sauté pan over a medium heat and melt the butter, then add the onion and leek, cooking until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, thyme and fresh shiitake (or other) mushrooms to the sauté pan and cook for 4-5 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.
Add the rice to the sauté pan, stirring to coat in the juices, and cook until the edges are translucent. Pour in the wine and bubble for a minute. Add the rehydrated dried mushrooms and the liquid in the bow and stir through.
Add the hot stock, a ladleful at a time, stirring between each addition and ensuring the stock has been absorbed before adding more.
Once the chestnuts are cooled, place on a chopping board. Remove the skins and chop in half ready to add to the risotto.
When you have about a third of the stock left, add the chestnuts. Keep adding stock and stirring until the rice is cooked but still retains some bite – you may not need all the stock, or you may need to top it up a little with boiling water. Fish out the stems of the thyme. Stir through most of the parmesan, season, then serve with the remaining parmesan and a sprinkle of sea lettuce.
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