Taste of Wine Country: Mushroom Risotto

Brian and I have been slowly working our way through the 10 bottles of wine we brought home from our trip to Wine Country back in November.

It’s hard because you want to drink it, but at the same time want a “special” occasion or event to break open some of these bottles.  But I also don’t want to “save” them forever!  I mean I still have the bottle of champagne my mom gave us for our engagement…yeah, you know, saving it for a special occasion!! 

We visited the Thomas George winery during our stay in Healdsburg.  We were out for the day, hiking/picnic, and the owners of our B&B gave us some recommendations for wineries to stop at on our way back.

One of these was the Thomas George Estates Winery in the Russian River Valley.  They had a very cool wine cave where they did tastings.

It was here that we bought our first bottle of the trip (and one of the more $$ ones we’ve ever bought…although at the same time I’d never tasted wine so good so it was ok ;)

Before we left, the guy who helped us that day said that this wine goes excellent with mushroom risotto!

We did not for get that piece of information, AND we were able to use one of our other purchases from that trip:

A bag of dried wild mushrooms we picked up in the Ferry Building in San Francisco.

Dried mushrooms are great because you can get a good variety and they keep for a long time!

You just need to remember that they need at least 30 min to re-hydrate

 Wild (Dried) Mushroom Risotto
(adapted from Ina Garten)

• 1 oz dried wild mushrooms (or your favorite kind)
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3T butter
• 2 oz pancetta, chopped
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Re-hydrate the mushrooms with the boiling water for 30 min or until soft.  Remove with a slotted spoon, then give mushrooms a rough chop.  Carefully pour the mushroom broth into a sauce pan, leaving just the last little bit in the pan with the debris from the mushrooms (or use a sieve).  Add the chicken broth to the mushroom broth and heat over med/low heat, just until steaming.

In a large heavy bottom pot or Dutch oven heat the butter over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and pancetta. Sauté for 4-5 minutes, then add mushrooms. Cook for another 5 minutes, then add rice. Cook for 2 more minutes, then add the wine and cook for 2 more minutes. Then add 2 ladles full of the hot broth mixture to the pan. Stir regularly until the broth has been mostly absorbed by the rice. Repeat this process of adding 2 ladles of broth, stirring until dissolved, until all the broth is used and rice is cooked but still has a little bite to it…al dente.

You have to keep regularly stirring but no need to go crazy.  This took me 35-40 min.  The mixture will be very creamy by the end. 

Finally, remove from heat and add the cheese. 

We served this with some steak, and a small piece of left over fish from the night before (a little surf and turf action)

And a little side salad

Of course the wine was incredible

Just as good as we remembered.  Now I’m just sad it’s gone!!!   

Now I just need to plan some more wine-centered dinners for those other bottles ;)

Does anyone else have this problem of “saving” the good stuff and then years go by???  I think we’ve done a decent job with our wines from the trip, but still have 5 to go! 

Squash Risotto with Wild Mushrooms and Chard

Why don’t I make risotto more often??  Overall it’s a simple one pot dish that comes out tasting like something you would get at a fabulous restaurant.

Especially when you throw in a handful of wild mushrooms, and some naturally sweet squash puree

I’ve had this delicata squash sitting on my counter for easily over a month now and just haven’t known what I wanted to do with it.

Then last weekend I decided to pick up some Arborio rice from TJ’s, and already had the chicken broth in my pantry

I scanned my cookbooks, and then the internet and decided to use this Cooking Light recipe as my inspiration as it incorporated squash as well as radicchio which I would sub for a green leafy vegetable.

The next special addition to the risotto came in the form of some wild mushrooms Brian and I picked out at Whole Foods.  We walked in and they had a big display of different mushroom varieties, many of which I had never heard of…including these:   

These are Cauliflower Mushrooms…ok I lied.  I think the signs may not have been clear as to which mushrooms they were because I just goggled “Cauliflower Mushrooms” and they do NOT look like these!  Hmmmm….

Anyone know what these are??  I think if I heard the name I could remember if I saw it at the Whole Food’s display?

Shallots, Chard, and the mushrooms…

Winter Squash Risotto
with Wild Mushrooms and Chard
inspired by Cooking Light

• 1 large shallot (approx ½ cup chopped)
• ½ cup chopped wild mushrooms of your choice
• 1 bunch Rainbow Chard (or other greens), remove most of center rib
• 2T olive oil
• 1 ¼ cup Arborio Rice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 4 cups Chicken Broth (may use under 4 cups)
• 1 delicata squash
• 1 tsp butter
• ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 400

Cut squash lengthwise, remove seeds and pulp, and place skin side down in a baking pan with about ½” water on the bottom. Brush squash with about 2tsp olive oil, sprinkle with salt + pepper. Roast for 40-45 min until flesh is tender. Once cooled, scoop out flesh and puree in a food processor (I had to add a little water to get it to puree)

Tear each chard leaf into 3-4 pieces (like big salad size pieces)

In a medium saucepan heat chicken stock on your stove on med-low to keep the stock warm while making the risotto.  You don’t want it boiling though, just warm.

Heat 2 tsp olive oil in large heavy pot.  Add chard and sauté until wilted.  Remove chard to a separate bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Back in the pot, add the remaining olive oil.

Then add shallots, mushrooms, and dry rice

Sauté for about 5 min, then add 1/2 cup dry white wine and stir until wine is absorbed.

Then add warm chicken stock about 1/2 cup at a time.  I usually just use a full ladle’s worth, maybe a little more each time instead of trying to measure out the stock.  The important thing is to add the stock in increments.  KEEP STIRING!!  That’s the most important thing! 

Each time you add stock, stir stir stir until the rice has absorbed it.  All this stirring is what makes the risotto creamy, and what makes it “risotto” and not just yummy rice.

I used almost all the stock, there was only about 1/4-1/2 cup left in the pot by the time it was done.  This process took about 20-25 min. 

When you’re getting towards the end of your broth, add in the squash puree…keep stirring!

This is also one of those dishes that you need to keep tasting until you know it’s done.  You want the grains of rice to be firm, ‘al dente’, but not crunchy.  To me, it’s done when it’s just past the crunchy stage.  

When you deem your risotto “done”, add back in the sautéed chard, butter, and the grated parmesan cheese…mmmm.

This is also when you would add salt and pepper to taste.  I didn’t think it needed anything, but perhaps if you used vegetable broth or low-sodium chicken broth you might want some salt.

Serve with a little more cheese sprinkled on top :) 

This was amazing.  

Brian and I were both raving about it as we ate it.  Must make again, and must explore more risotto varieties! 

All the flavors blended really well, no one ingredient stood out over the others. The mushrooms were subtle but definitely noticed and added a great flavor to this!  The squash added more of a creaminess and hint of sweetness.

What are your favorite risottos???