The Best Mushroom and Pancetta Risotto
Creamy mushroom and pancetta risotto.
Preparation Time: 20 Minutes
Cooking Time: 45 Minutes
Serves: 4
Allergens: Milk
Ingredients:
White Truffle olive oil (or normal oil)
220G White Button Cup Mushrooms
150g Oyster Mushrooms
125g Shiitake Mushrooms
130g Pancetta
45g Fresh Parsley
20g Dried Porcini Mushrooms
12 Vegetable Stock cubes
1 Large White Onion
2 large cloves of garlic
500g Arborio Risotto Rice
500ml White Wine
250g Grated Parmesan
2 tbsp Dried Italian herbs
1/2 tbsp Dried Chilli Flakes (or to taste!)
Method
I made my first ever risotto at university when my friend introduced me to them and I have been obsessed with making them ever since. I started with a basic chicken and mushroom risotto and experimented with different methods and flavours until I adapted my favourite combination: mushroom and pancetta.
This risotto combines the crisp white wine with the salty pancetta and helps cut through the strong flavours that come from the mushrooms and truffle oil.
First, make your broth by combining 1.5L of boiled water with 2 vegetable stock cubes and add the dried shiitake mushrooms; leave this to soak whilst you get on with the rest of the cooking.
Add 1 tbsp of truffle olive oil to a pan, let this warm up.
Next, add the pancetta, onion and garlic to a large pan. Cook for about 5 minutes on a medium heat until the pancetta is beginning to crisp and the onion is nice and soft – ensure here that the garlic doesn’t brown.
Pour in 100ml of white wine and let the pancetta, garlic and onion soak it up – this glazes the pancetta and brings out a lovely flavour.
Add the rice and sauté for around a minute.
Once the rice is well mixed with the other ingredients in the pan add in the mushrooms, dried herbs, dried chilli flakes and add salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat down low, leaving this mixture for around 6 minutes so that the mushrooms can release their flavour.
Next add in the remainder of your wine and stir until absorbed.
Once the wine is absorbed, carefully add your stock little by little, only adding more when each addition is absorbed. You can now bring the temperature up to a medium heat again.
Make sure you continue to stir the whole time to prevent any of the rice sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Once rice is cooked*, add in your parmesan and fresh parsely (saving some to garnish afterwards!) and and stir – this will give the risotto a creamier texture.
Top the risotto with the remaining parsely and serve – I often also serve with a bowl of parmesan for people to add themselves.
Extra Information
*The way you cook a risotto is make or break, too much time and it becomes too stodgy, too little time and its too hard. The perfect risotto should have a slight bite whilst also maintaining its creaminess. I find to achieve this the best way is low and slow – keep on a low heat and don’t rush it!
Enjoy!
Ruth