Mushroom, Truffle Oil and Parmesan Risotto

What is Risotto?

Risotto is a rice dish cooked with broth (from meat, fish, or vegetables) until it reaches a creamy consistency. Most types of risotto contain butter, onion, white wine, and parmesan cheese.

Who invented Risotto?

Risotto was invented in northern Italy. The first identifiable recipe dates from 1809. It includes rice sautéed in butter, sausages, bone marrow, onions with hot broth with saffron gradually added.

There is a recipe for a dish named as risotto in the 1854 Trattato di cucina by Giovanni Vialardi, assistant chief chef to kings.[W] However, the question of who invented the risotto in Milan remains unanswered today.

Although rice has been grown in southern Italy since the 14th century, the varieties now associated with risotto were developed in the 20th century, starting with Maratelli in 1914.

Risotto in Italy is normally a first course served before the main course, but risotto alla milanese is often served with ossobuco alla milanese as a main course.

How to make the best Mushroom, Truffle Oil and Parmesan Risotto?

The process will take around 25 minutes and has 5 key ingredients: arborio rice, Truffle oil, mushrooms, white wine and parmesan cheese.

Ingredients

  • 300 g Arborio rice. Other short-grain rice types can be used but are not as good, such as Carnaroli, Vialone, Nano or Baldo.
  • Truffle oil. Up to 1 teaspoon, normally 5 or 6 drops are enough, depending on the type and taste. It is quite expensive but there are alternatives like Farchioni’s Condimento al gusto di Tartufo.
  • 450 g chopped wild mushrooms (if possible dried Porcini, Trompette, Girolle or Oyster mushrooms, and even better if you mix more than one). See the 10 most common types here.
  • 250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine. Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc are recommended. We like Riesling and we normally use that one, just make sure it is not too sweet.
  • 100 g grated Parmesan, Grana Padano or similar hard cheese.
  • 100 g butter.
  • 1 chopped onion.
  • 1 sliced garlic clove.
  • 1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock.
  • ½ bunch chopped parsley.
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil.

Method

  1. Start by melting the butter in a deep frying pan or pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic and fry until translucent.
  2. Add the mushrooms to the pan, increase the heat to high and keep cooking for 3 minutes. Add the rice and a teaspoon of olive oil. Cook the mixture for 3 more minutes.
  3. Add the white wine and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, then add a cup of the stock.
  4. Continue to cook the mixture, adding up to a cup of stock at a time and stirring continuously until the liquid is absorbed. Pay attention to the rice until it reaches the desirable state, which should take around 20 minutes. This is very important and you want to get the timing right, according to the type of rice (if you did not use arborio could be different) and personal taste.
  5. Once the rice is ready, take the pan off the heat and add the parsley, the parmesan and couple of drops of Truffle oil.
  6. To serve, drizzle the rice with Truffle oil and some additional parsley. More parmesan could also work well.

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