Chorizo, 'Shroom & Thyme Risotto
INGREDIENTS
SERVES 4 (or less with extra for arancini snacks later)
10 g dried porcini
1.25 ltr of low salt stock (veg or chicken) - you can use 1ltr and add a cup of water.
2 soft chorizo, skin removed & meat crumbled
4 tbsP fresh thyme leaves, stems removed
1 tbsP extra virgin olive oil.
200 g mushrooms, sliced. I used Swiss browns
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
1 med brown onion, peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup dry vermouth
70 g butter
1 cup aborio rice
1 cup finely grated parmesan + some to serve.
100g stracchino (This is a divinely soft young cheese halfway between a soft brie and a burrata. It has no rind and is insanely delicious.)
Lemon zest & pepper to serve
Method
Heat the stock & dried porcini over high heat until it comes to a boil. Reduce to low to keep steaming hot - keep an eye on it so it doesn’t reduce too much. If it does, top up with hot water.
In a large deep frypan, over medium heat sauce the chorizo until it is crispy and crumbly. About 3 minutes.
The fat from the CHORIZO should have enough oil, so no need to add any to the pan.
Toss the thyme through, and then remove half of it and set aside to use as the risotto topping later. Add the olive oil to this bowl of reserved crispy delicious.
The heat from the chorizo should make the thyme smell amazing!
Back in the pan, add the sliced mushrooms, onion & garlic and sauté ‘till all has softened and is beginning to golden. About 5 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, removed the now hydrated porcini from the stock and chop finely. Add this to the pan with other ‘shrooms.
Stir until all moisture has evaporated.
Add half the butter and the rice. String to toast and coat rice grains well.
Increase heat to high momentarily, and deglaze the pan with the vermouth. Cook this through again until all moisture has evaporated, then reduce heat to MED-LOW.
Begin adding the steaming mushroom flavoured stock to the pan 1/2-1 cup at a time.
Stir well for 2 minutes every 3-4 minutes or so… yes… it’s a needy dish. It’ll take about 20mins for this part.
Only add more stock once the last amount has been absorbed but still a little creamy, not dry.
Once you have added all the stock, turn the heat off and vigorously stir through the remaining butter and the the parmesan.
The result should be bitty little grains, in a slick and silky gravy like sauce. Saucy enough that if you try to make a pile on a plate, it spreads flat.
Top with spoons of the stracchino, extra parmesan, the crispy chorizo, lots of pepper and lemon zest.
