Porcini Mushroom Risotto

La storia di questo piatto

This is Italy's autumn distilled into a single spoon, a dish with no fixed birthplace but a clear soul: the forest finding its way into a creamy embrace of rice. It carries no ancient legend, only the honest memory of a home kitchen where porcini season dictates the menu.

Ingredienti

• 320 g Carnaroli rice
• 350 g Fresh porcini mushrooms
• 1.2 l Vegetable broth
• 1/2 piece Golden onion
• 1 clove Garlic
• 100 ml Dry white wine
• 60 g Butter (20 g for sautéing + 40 g for finishing)
• 60 g Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
• 30 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 2.5 g Fine sea salt
• 1 pinch Freshly ground black pepper

Preparazione

1. Start with the porcini: clean them with a damp cloth or soft brush, removing soil from the base of the stem without rinsing under running water, which would make them spongy and waterlogged. Dice the stems into small cubes and slice the caps to medium thickness, so they'll hold a tender center with a light golden crust during cooking.
2. Meanwhile, bring 1.2 liters of vegetable broth to a gentle simmer in a small pot and keep it hot beside the stove for the entire risotto cooking time: reserve a little extra to adjust the creaminess at the end.
3. In a wide skillet, heat 15 ml of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat with an unpeeled garlic clove, then add the porcini without crowding: if needed, do it in two batches. Let them brown undisturbed until a light golden crust forms at the edges and the aroma becomes deep forest and hazelnut—a sign the vegetable water has evaporated and the Maillard reaction is happening. Salt them halfway through with a pinch (about 0.5 g), remove the garlic, and set aside half the most beautiful mushrooms for final garnish. Keep all the porcini warm in the covered skillet, off the heat.
4. In your risotto pot, warm 20 g of butter with the remaining 15 ml of olive oil over gentle heat (the other 40 g of butter stays chilled in the refrigerator for finishing), add the finely minced onion, and let it soften slowly until translucent and sweetly fragrant. If it colors or tastes burnt, discard and start fresh with a new onion, because bitterness cannot be undone. Add the Carnaroli rice and toast for about two minutes, stirring frequently, until the grains are hot and glossy, with translucent edges and white centers.
5. Deglaze with the dry white wine over medium-high heat and let it evaporate completely: you'll know it's done when the sharp alcohol smell gives way to a rounder aroma and the pot bottom is nearly dry. From here, the cooking begins: add the hot broth one ladle at a time, pouring more only when the previous addition is nearly absorbed, stirring regularly over medium heat. Season moderately, adding no more than 1.8 g of salt total at this stage, tasting as you go: remember that broth and Parmigiano already bring saltiness.
6. In the final 5-6 minutes of cooking, fold in the sautéed porcini that you didn't set aside for garnish and let their aroma meld into the risotto as you continue adding broth. The rice is ready when it tastes al dente with a small firm center, yet the risotto is already creamy and moves in waves if you shake the pot: this signals the finishing will succeed.
7. Remove the pot from heat and wait a few seconds: the mantecatura (finishing) is done off the heat, otherwise the butter breaks and the risotto loses creaminess. Add the 40 g of cold butter in small pieces and the Parmigiano, then stir vigorously with circular motions until the risotto becomes glossy and flowing—what Italians call all'onda—sliding softly if you tilt the pot. Taste and adjust with just a pinch of salt only if truly needed (maximum 0.2 g, to stay within the 2.5 g total), and give it a grind of black pepper.
8. Let the risotto rest covered for one minute, then plate it hot, arranging the reserved porcini on top for the contrast between the creamy rice and the tender-crisp mushrooms. Finish with the chopped parsley for a fresh green note that brightens the plate, and bring it straight to the table: risotto doesn't wait—the diner waits for it.