Porcini mushroom and spinach risotto
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 2
Theo Randall’s comforting risotto with garlicky greens uses dried porcini mushrooms and homemade vegetable stock to add a real depth of flavour. The creamy mascarpone makes it extra indulgent.
By Theo Randall
From Saturday Kitchen
Ingredients
For the vegetable stock
For the risotto
- 200g/7oz spinach
- 75g/2¾oz unsalted butter
- ½ garlic clove, crushed to a paste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery stick, finely chopped
- 250g/9oz carnaroli risotto rice
- 20g/¾oz dried porcini mushrooms, soaked in boiling water, drained and finely chopped
- 100g/3½oz Parmesan, grated (or similar vegetarian hard cheese), plus extra to serve
- 75g/2¾oz mascarpone
- 1 tsp chopped flatleaf parsley
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
To make the vegetable stock, place all the ingredients along with 3 litres of cold water into a large saucepan and slowly bring to the boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer very gently for 20–30 minutes, then strain through a sieve into another pan. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, to make the risotto, bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the spinach, stir so it is submerged under the water and count to ten, then transfer the spinach to a colander and squeeze with a pair of tongs until there is no more excess water. Chop the spinach finely.
Melt 25g/1oz of the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat, then add the crushed garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the cooked spinach, mix well then remove from the heat and leave to one side.
Heat a straight-sided saucepan and add the olive oil, onion and celery. Cook for 2 minutes then add the carnaroli rice, cook for a further 3 minutes stirring continuously, then start adding the vegetable stock, a couple of ladles at a time.
Stir the risotto as you continue to slowly add the rest of the stock, making sure the rice is always covered by 2cm/¾in of liquid. Cook for 10 minutes then add the chopped soaked porcini mushrooms. Cook for a further 8 minutes.
Add the grated Parmesan, 50g/1¾oz butter, mascarpone and parsley. Stir vigorously until the risotto is emulsified, then check the seasoning and the texture of the rice – it should have a nice bite. Season with some salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed. Place a lid on the risotto and leave to rest for 2 minutes.
Serve the risotto in hot bowls with a spoonful of the chopped garlicky spinach in the middle. Finish with a little more Parmesan.
