As I've noted elsewhere, once you master Risotto Bianco, then you can make any risotto. This white risotto is the base for any risotto recipe, but is just as lovely on it's own - Italian comfort food at it's best!
In this version, I've included sauteed mushrooms, dried porcini mushrooms and chicken breast, which is a delicious combination.
Although the porcini mushrooms are optional, they do add an extra depth of flavour. It's not just the dried mushrooms, but the inclusion of their soaking liquid which really elevates the dish.
If you prefer to make a vegetarian version, then simply omit the chicken!
2-4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Knob of butter
250g chestnut mushrooms
50g dried porcini mushrooms (optional)
250g chicken breast
½ white onion (Spanish if possible)
1 small stick of celery
40g butter
175g arborio risotto rice
100ml white wine
800ml chicken stock (or 700ml stock and 100ml porcini liquid)
25g parmesan
Fresh flat leaf parsley
- Place the porcini mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with 100ml boiling water. Set aside for 20 minutes.
- Finely dice the onion and celery.
- Cut the mushrooms into thickish slices.
- Cut the chicken breast into slices (see photo)
- Grate the parmesan.
- Place the stock into a pan and warm until the stock is hot. (I turn the heat off at this point, although traditionally you keep the stock hot).
- Melt a good knob of butter in a frying pan, with a drizzle of olive oil, over a medium heat. Once the butter is foaming and sizzling, add the mushrooms.
- Sauté until the mushrooms are golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Drizzle some olive oil in the frying pan over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot, pan fry the sliced chicken until golden and almost cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Remove the porcini mushrooms from the stock and squeeze the mushrooms gently over the bowl.
- Finely dice the porcini mushrooms and add to the sauteed mushrooms.
- Add the mushroom stock to the chicken stock and stir well.
- Melt 20g of butter in the bottom of a lidded pan, along with a good drizzle of olive oil.
- Once the butter has melted, add the onion and celery and cook slowly over a low heat until the onion turns translucent.
- Now throw in the rice and stir to combine. Once the rice starts to make a crackling noise and turns slightly translucent at the edges, add the white wine. Stir.
- After a couple of minutes add two ladles of stock and stir until most of the liquid has absorbed.
- Continue to add the stock a ladle at a time and keep stirring until nearly all of the stock has been used.
- Add the mushrooms and chicken with the last of the stock until almost all of the stock has been absorbed.
- Take off the heat and season well. Now stir in the remaining butter and the parmesan. Cover and leave to stand.
- Finely chop the parsley.
- Serve the risotto topped with the parsley and more parmesan.
