Bacon & Mushroom Risotto with Fried Garlic Powder

Going through food cupboard I found some dried Boletus Mushrooms from the previous season, time to use them up! Rissoto is one of my favourite ways to enjoy flavourful ingredients, especially mushrooms.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 300g (10.6oz) of Arborio Risotto Rice

• 250g (8.8oz) of fresh white or chestnut mushrooms sliced

• 15g (0.5oz) of dried mushrooms (Boletus or Porcini)

• 150g (5.3oz) of unsmoked bacon diced

• 150ml (0.16quarts) of white wine

• 500ml (0.53quarts) of hot stock (vegetable or chicken)

• 300ml (0.32quarts) of hot water

• 1 large shallot finely diced

• 1 garlic clove grated

• 1tbsp olive oil

• 30g (1oz) of butter

• 30g (1oz) of parmesan cheese

• 30g (1oz) of cheddar cheese

• 60ml (4tbsp) of double cream

• 10g (0.3oz) of parsley chopped

• black pepper to taste

• fried garlic powder to garnish

Method:

1. Begin by rehydrating dried mushrooms with 300ml (0.32 quarts) of hot water, make sure they are fully submerged in the liquid, this takes about 10-15 minutes. When ready remove from the liquid and dice, remember to keep the liquid (there may be some impurities in it like sand and whatnot, slowly pour the mushroom stock into another container, stuff you don't want should stay on the bottom).

2. Pour mushroom stock with 500ml (0.53 quarts) of desired stock in a medium pot and keep it hot ready for later.

3. To prepare Risotto, pan-fry diced bacon over medium heat for about 5 minutes (you want some browning on the meat and fat rendering).

4. Next, add diced shallot and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, string occasionally.

5. Now add chopped mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes then transfer to a bowl and use the frying pan again for the rice.

6. Heat the rice over medium heat with 1tbsp of olive oil until each grain gets glossy and covered in fat, then add white wine and cook for one minute.

7. Put the rice with wine into the pan of hot stock and add your soffritto (onion, garlic, bacon and mushroom) plus diced rehydrated mushrooms.

8. Cook covered over medium heat for about 13 minutes stirring less at the beginning and more at the end until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice cooked al dente.

9. When ready stir in the cream, cheese and butter until melted. Add chopped parsley, season with black pepper and serve straight away garnished with fried garlic. Enjoy!

Insight:

• While cooking Risotto, stirring the rice helps to release more starch from the rice resulting in a creamy texture.

• For this recipe, you can use only fresh mushrooms if you don't have any dried ones and vice versa.