Cooking Therapy

Like paella, risotto is a rice based dish cooked in broth and contains meats and vegetables. Unlike its Spanish counterpart, it originates in Northern Italy and is cooked until it reaches a creamy consistency. My recipe for risotto includes spicy andouille sausage for a kick and it is complemented by the earthy, nutty taste of the truffle butter. This succulent dish will have your mouth watering from beginning to end.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 oz fresh porcini mushrooms

1 oz dried morel mushrooms

1 diced andouille sausage

4 cups chicken stock

4 tablespoons butter

1 ½ tablespoons truffle butter

½ cup of shallots

½ cup of dry white wine

1 teaspoon saffron

1 ½ cups of Arborio rice

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 cup parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Soak the dried morels in 2 cups of boiling water until the mushrooms absorb the liquid and look fuller and the water retains the mushroom essence and becomes almost like a mushroom broth.
• Separate the mushrooms from the water in two separate containers. Before pouring the broth in the container, run it through a strainer and discard any excess residue.
• Heat the mushroom broth with 2 cups of chicken stock in a saucepan over a medium-low heat until it begins simmering
• In a separate pot, melt the regular butter over a medium low heat and sauté the sausage and shallots for 5 minutes, or until shallots start to become translucent.
• Add both types of mushroom and sauté for another 5 minutes
• Add the rice and mix it with the vegetables and sausage
• Stir in the wine, allowing it to cook for 2 minutes before adding 2 ladles of the chicken stock, the salt, pepper, and saffron
• Add the truffle butter
• Decrease the heat to a low setting and let the mixture simmer until the liquid becomes absorbed then add 2 more ladles of the chicken stock
• Stir constantly
• Repeat the process of adding stock after the liquid becomes absorbed until the rice is fully cooked. It should take about half an hour.
• Turn the heat off and stir in 2/3 cup of the parmesan cheese.
• Scoop into plates and sprinkle a little more parmesan over the risotto.
• Serve and enjoy!