Mushroom And Roasted Garlic Risotto Recipe

There's no better way to welcome in the cooler months than with a hearty mushroom risotto. Creamy, flavorful, and filling, this dish is the perfect accompaniment to those slow Autumnal evenings when the nights are drawing in and there is a chill in the air. That said, it's still quite delicious in warmer weather!

Risotto is a traditional Italian rice dish made using a special type of starchy, short-grain rice. The most widely available rice that's best for risotto is arborio rice. The rice is slowly cooked in a pan with a liquid (most commonly stock), which is added regularly in small amounts. The rice should be frequently stirred to release the starches which create that beautifully thick, creamy texture for which risotto is renowned. Sounds delicious, right?

One great thing about this particular recipe is that you can use whichever mushrooms you like, so pick your favorite and it'll be guaranteed to taste delicious. It also contains roasted garlic, which elevates the sweet, nutty and earthy flavors of the mushrooms and amplifies this dish. Great for a low-key family dinner with the kids or a fancy date night, this recipe is a timeless classic you'll come back to over and over again.

You'll need quite a few ingredients for this homemade mushroom and roasted garlic risotto, but trust us, it'll be worth it. The first thing you'll need are, naturally, mushrooms. You can make this dish with any type of mushroom, although it's great to have a variety if possible. You will also need arborio rice, olive oil, butter, an onion, fresh thyme, white wine, chicken stock, grated Parmesan, a roasted garlic bulb, and fresh basil, as well as salt and pepper to season.

The first step in this recipe is to divide the mushrooms and fry half of them in a tablespoon of olive oil. They will only need a few minutes in the pan, and once they are softened and gently colored, they can be removed from the pan and set to one side for later.

To begin the base of the risotto you will need to add some more oil and butter to the pan. Then, sauté the finely diced onion for a few minutes until it is softened and translucent. At this point, the remaining mushrooms and the fresh thyme should be added to the pan and gently cooked until everything is softened.

When you first add the arborio rice to the pan, it may look as though there won't be enough rice, but it will grow a lot as it cooks, so don't give in to the temptation to add more. It is important to add the rice to the dry pan and allow it to toast in the oil and flavors for a few minutes before adding any liquids. This is to improve the finished texture and flavor of the rice.

Once the risotto rice has been toasted for a few minutes, it is time to add the white wine to the pan. Allow the rice to fully absorb the wine, stirring frequently, before beginning to feed the risotto with stock. Risotto needs to be continually attended to; you don't want it to be too dry or too wet as it cooks. So remember to keep an eye on it, stir it, and add more stock regularly bit by bit until the rice is plump and beginning to soften.

When the risotto rice is plump and mostly tender, it's time to remove the pan from the heat. Add the butter and stir vigorously to emulsify the rice; this will help to create a beautifully creamy risotto. Then, stir in the Parmesan and the roasted garlic cloves. At this point, season the dish with salt and pepper and then top it with the fried mushrooms and finish it off with a sprinkle of chopped basil leaves.