Vegan mushroom risotto

Step 1

Clean your dry mushrooms of any grit under the tap. Place in a measuring jug or a small pot and cover in about 500 ml / 2 cups of boiling water. Cover and set aside to brew for 30 minutes or so.

Step 2

Next, clean all your fresh mushrooms using a damp paper towel or a damp mushroom brush. Try to keep your mushrooms as dry as possible. Slice and set aside.

Step 3

Heat up 2 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan or pot, one that you have a fitted lid for.

Step 4

Add in chopped shallots (or onion) and fry on a low heat until translucent (about 5 minutes), stirring from time to time.

Step 5

Add 2 garlic cloves to the shallots and fry, stirring frequently, until fragrant and softened (about 2 minutes).

Step 6

Mix in rice and fry it off for a few seconds, stirring frequently.

Step 7

Gently drain mushroom stock (infusion) away making sure you don't disturb a little grit that tends to settle at the bottom of the pot. Heat up your mushroom stock in a small pot. Save rehydrated porcini for later.

Step 8

Next add wine. Allow the wine to cook off completely before adding the first small portion (60 ml / ¼ cup or so) of hot mushroom stock.

Step 9

Keep on adding the stock, in small amounts, until fully absorbed by the rice before adding the next portion. Make sure to stir the rice often to activate the starch, which makes for a creamy risotto. Once you run out of mushroom stock, heat up a little vegetable stock to supplement. If you like the idea of using miso, dissolve it in a bit of hot stock first and add it into the risotto while incorporating stock. Make sure you season your risotto as you go, tasting often.

Step 10

While you make your risotto, you may want make a bit of porcini cream to fold into the risotto at the last minute to make it more indulgent. Blend soaked and drained cashews with about 20 g / 7 oz of soaked porcini and a splash of water in a blender until super smooth.

Step 11

When the risotto is nearly done, it's time to pan-fry the fresh mushrooms - you may need to do them in batches as overcrowding the pan will produce soggier mushrooms. Heat up a large pan with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add sliced fresh mushrooms onto the hot oil and leave undisturbed for a minute or two so that they caramelise on one side. Stir the pan and again leave them to caramelise for a bit. Give them a stir from time to time until they are mostly caramelised and look cooked. Add a finely grated garlic clove, thyme leaves and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Stir well, allowing the garlic to cook gently in the mushrooms.

Step 12

Keep on adding the stock to the rice until the rice is almost al dente - i.e. has a small amount of bite to it when tasted. It will take about 15-20 minutes from the moment you first started adding liquid to the pan.

Step 13

Taste a grain of rice to make sure it is almost ready. If it is, stir some porcini cream (if using) and a bit of balsamic vinegar if you like a touch of acidity to break through the creaminess. Switch the heat off, cover the pan / pot and allow the risotto to rest for 5 minutes.

Step 14

Divide the risotto between bowls, top with pan-fried mushrooms and fresh parsley.