Sienirisotto
I have always loved mushrooms and there is something comforting about a bowl of soft creamy rice full of earthy mushroomy flavour. I topped my risotto with some fried chanterelles which were in season here. Once I have cleaned my chanterelles, I start them off in a dry pan to remove as much moisture as possible, then add a little olive oil or vegan butter to fry them until they are golden.
Mushroom Risotto – serves 2
25 g dried porcini mushrooms
1 vegetable stock cube
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
125 g mushrooms (I used chestnut mushrooms)
150 g risotto rice
1 dl/ 100 ml white wine
2 tbsp vegan creme fraiche
vegan parmesan
chopped herbs (tarragon works well) and fried chanterelle mushrooms to serve
Cover the porcini mushroom with 5 dl/ 500 ml of boiling water and allow to soak for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and drain into a bowl squeezing out any remaining water. Add the vegetable stock cube to the mushroom water and set to one side. Chop the porcini mushrooms.
Heat the olive oil in a large pan and slowly sweat the onion for 5 minutes, so it begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute, before adding the chopped mushrooms and porcini mushrooms allowing to slowly cook for another 8 to 10 minutes.
Tip in the risotto rice and mix well so it absorbs some of the onion flavour. Add the wine and allow it to bubble for a short while to burn off some of the harsh alcohol. Pour on a quarter of the stock and allow the rice to simmer lowly.
Once nearly all the stock has been absorbed, add a little more stock, simmering until absorbed again. Repeat the process until the rice is tender (around 20 – 30 minutes). If you run out of stock, you can always add a little water.
Remove from the heat and stir in the creme fraiche and a good grating of vegan parmesan. Serve immediately with a sprinkle of herbs and extra fried mushrooms, if using.
A Brit in Helsinki 