Leek and Mushroom Risotto

Allow me to waddle over to my computer to tell you about this gorgeous dish. I ate far too much of it last night, and what I want to do now is slather it over my entire 

body. Although this is a bona fide gourmet dish, it’s not difficult to make. The recipe comes via Dee Carthy of Bowral, NSW, who got it from former chef Marion Veigel of Sydney, whose mother is my pal Lyn Keane, also of Sydney. Dee worked out most of the proportions; I worked out the rest. 

“Risotto Scandal Ensnares Gluttonous Blogger!”

Read my Notes before you start to cook. This recipe makes a generous amount. You can always cut it in half, but I’d advise you not to double it. Doing so would require a massive pan and a massive stove-top seen only in restaurants. 

Leek and Mushroom Risotto:

1/4 c. (60 mL) olive oil, divided

5-1/2 c. (1.3 L by volume; 400 g by weight) sliced, fresh mushrooms (see Mushroom Note)

1 large or 3 medium leeks (white part only), thinly sliced into rounds

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1-1/2 c. (350 mL) arborio rice (see Rice Note)

1 c. (250 mL) dry white wine

Approx. 4 c. (950 mL-to-1 L) vegetable or chicken stock

1/4 tsp. (1.25 mL) salt, or to taste (see Salt Note)

2 tbsp. (30 mL) butter or margarine

1 c. (250 mL) finely grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

Cooked prawns (optional), added and heated with the risotto just before serving 

Prepare and array all ingredients in advance of cooking. See Skillet Note). So let’s get moving!

Rinse and drain rice. To large skillet on medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil, heating to just below spitting point. Add mushrooms, leeks, and garlic, immediately lowering heat and stirring constantly until soft and no liquid remains. 

Sauté mushrooms, leeks, and garlic.

Transfer veggies to bowl.

To same unwashed skillet, add remaining 2 tbsp. (30 mL) olive oil. Add rice when oil is hot, stirring constantly until rice becomes oil-coated. Add wine all at once, deglazing skillet with rice still in it. Lower heat to medium, continuing to stir until rice absorbs most of wine. 

Heat stock in separate container. Reduce heat under skillet to medium-low as you add a portion of hot stock to skillet. I generally add 3/4-to-1 c. (180-to-250 mL) stock for each addition. Add too much at one time, and your risotto will be gummy. Add too little, and it will be hard. Gently 

cook and stir until rice absorbs most or all of liquid in skillet. 

You’ll want to continue adjusting stove-top heat as risotto cooks - not too high, not too low, but j-u-st right. You’ll get the hang of this as you add liquid, stir, reduce liquid, and repeat the process.

The secret to cooking a successful risotto is “low and slow.” Cook and stir 20-to-25 min., judging stock additions accordingly. 

Stir gently but thoroughly until rice absorbs almost all liquid. Repeat this step until rice reaches desired tenderness, absorbing most or all hot stock. Stir in reserved mushroom-leek-garlic mixture; heat through and season to taste. 

Add butter or margarine and freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino. Serve at once. Yields 8-to-10 portions as a side dish. Serves 6 as a main dish with (optional) poultry, pork, seafood or (prepared meatless and with vegetable broth) as a vegetarian meal. 

Mushroom Note: Brush mushrooms clean; don’t wash them. Give larger mushrooms a cross-cut after slicing them vertically, leaving them slightly bigger than bite-sized. They’ll shrink as they cook; you won’t want to make them too small. 

Rice Note: Don’t even think about substituting another type of rice in this recipe. Risotto requires arborio rice!) 

Salt Note: Taste before you serve! Today’s commercially made stock is often unsalted. Adding a pinch of salt to your risotto makes a big flavor difference. 

Skillet Note: Use a wide, deep skillet to make this recipe. The base diameter of mine is 10-1/2 in. (26.5 cm), flaring to 13-1/2 in. (34 cm) at the top. This skillet size is exactly perfect for a risotto recipe of this size. To make the full recipe in anything smaller is to court disaster! A wok’s narrow base will not produce satisfactory results.

Great ingredients make great risotto!

Heat olive oil in unwashed skillet. Add

arborio rice. Deglaze pan with wine.

Return mushroom mixture to skillet. Gradually
add hot stock to rice-and-mushroom mixture.

Add butter and finely grated cheese.

For more risotto recipes and one for Paella, check out One Click: Risotto and Paella.