Pancetta and vermouth risotto with roasted pine mushrooms
Prep time 15 mins
Cook 40 mins
Serves 4
2 1/2
Autumn is the season for finding beautiful pine mushrooms in pine forests. Our favourite way to cook them is to roast them until they start to caramelise, and serve them with a charred steak or a super creamy risotto. You can also leave the pancetta out and use vegetable stock for a vegetarian version.
A good glug of mellow-flavoured extra-virgin olive oil
50g butter
4 golden shallots, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
50g pancetta, diced
1 cup risotto rice (vialano nano or carnaroli are best)
1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
500ml chicken stock
1/2 cup coarsely grated truffle pecornino (or parmesan), plus extra to serve
2 heaped tbsp of creme fraiche
Roasted pine mushrooms
12 small whole pine mushrooms, or 4-6 large ones, cleaned and cut into wedges
60ml extra-vrigin olive oil, for drizzling
2 tsp thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Sage burnt butter
100g butter
16 sage leaves, washed and dried well
1. For roasted pine mushrooms, preheat oven to 200C. Scatter pine mushrooms over a baking tray lined with baking paper, then add olive oil, thyme and garlic and toss to combine. Grind a good amount of black pepper on top with a few good pinches of salt and roast, turning occasionallly until the mushrooms are golden and sizzling in their orange-coloured oil. This will take about 20-30 minutes. Keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve.
2. Heat oil and butter in a large wide saucepan and add shallots, garlic and pancetta and stir occasionally over low-medium heat until shallot is very tender (about 10 minutes). Add rice and stir to coat the grains, then add vermouth (or wine) and stir until absorbed. Gradually add the stock, stirring occasionally until all added. You'll need to add more liquid, and keep stirring until the rice is cooked al dente and creamy. Depending on your rice, you'll need to keep adding about 300ml-500ml more water gradually until your risotto is cooked with a nice sauce to coat it.
3. Meanwhile, for sage burnt butter, heat the butter in a small saucepan until it is foaming and just stops making a noise and starting tofoam is starting turn golden on the edge. Add sage leaves (be careful as they might spit hot butter). Immediately remove from the heat. stir once or twice and set aside.
4. To serve, stir cheese through risotto and season to taste. Stir through creme fraiche and then spoon onto warm plates. The risotto should spread nicely on the plate if the sauce is the right consistency. Top with roasted pine mushrooms and spoon sage burnt butter on top and serve.
INGREDIENTS
METHOD
Wine match An oak-forward Napa Valley Chardonnay.
