It has been a long time since I have posted a recipe and thought it was about time to do so. This is a recipe for a dish my wife and I got to try at the Taste of Flight Wine Expo we went to a week and a half ago. It was for Wild Mushroom Risotto. It was delicious. Risotto is a Northern Italian rice dish cooked in a broth to a creamy consistency. The broth can be derived from meat, fish, or vegetable. Many types of risotto contain butter, wine and onion. It is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy. In Italy it is normally a primo (first course), served on its own before the main course, but risotto alla milanese, is often served together with ossobuco alla milanese.

Serves:          4 people
Prep Time:  20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
(Wild Mushroom Ragu)

1 cup Dried Porcini Mushrooms (soaked in 3 cups of hot water, reserve the liquid)
2 lbs Assorted Wild Mushrooms (Shiitake, Oyster, Cremini roughly chopped)
2 tbsp Butter
1 Shallot (minced)
1/2 cup Red Wine
1 Bay Leaf
1 Sprig of Fresh Thyme
1 cup of Vegetable Stock
1/4 cup of Heavy Cream
1 clove Garlic (minced)
1 tbsp Fresh Parsley (minced)
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

(Risotto)

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Small Spanish Onion (small diced)
2 cups Risotto Rice (Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
1 cup White Wine
1 cup Reserved Porcini Liquid
5 cups of Vegetable Stock
1 cup Wild Mushroom Ragu
1/4 cup Shredded Fontina Cheese
1/4 cup Mascarpone Cheese
Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Preparation & Cooking Instructions:

Wild Mushroom Ragu:

1. Heat the butter in a large saute pan
2. Add all of the mushrooms and shallots
3. Cook for 10 minutes until all of the liquid released is gone
4. Add the red wine, bay leaf and thyme.
5. Allow to reduce by half
6. Add the vegetable stock and reduce again by half
7. Add the heavy cream
8. Reduce until the mixture is almost dry
9. Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic, parsley and lemon zest.
10. Season with salt and black pepper
11. Reserve for later

Risotto:

1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a saute pan
2. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes until translucent
3. Add the rice and cook until the rice starts to toast
4. Deglaze the pan with the white wine
4. Add the Porcini liquid and 2 cups of vegetable stock
5. Reduce the flame and cook the risotto until the liquid is absorbed. Stir constantly
6. Add 2 more cups of stock and continue to stir until that liquid is absorbed
7. Add in the wild mushroom ragu and stir
8. Add the last cup of stock and cook until the rice is the desired done-ness
9. Remove from heat and add the fontina cheese and mascarpone cheese to the risotto
10. Season the risotto to taste with the salt and black pepper

To Plate:

1. Divide the finished risotto between 4 bowls
2. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh minced rosemary and a drizzle of white truffle oil