Wild Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients

1 litre of chicken stock ( or veg, fish...)

30 g dried mushroom

400 g Arborio rice

 1 onion finely chopped

 1 celery stalk finely chopped

1/4 cup port, or vermouth, or sherry

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp truffle oil - for a finishing drizzle (optional)

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp butter

Salt & Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the stock on the stove. Simmer the mushrooms in a pot of  3 cups water for 20 minutes - 

In a separate heavy bottomed pot heat the olive oil and add the celery and onion. A dash of salt can be added as you sweat the vegetables. Cook them for around 5 minutes, stirring so they don't stick.

Add the rice and continue stirring - you are beginning to fry the rice and you may hear them crackle a little. Keep stirring and watch the heat ( you can turn it down a wee wee bit). You want the rice to be turning translucent - once it does, then add the port ( or vermouth or...) and it will smell divine as the alcohol evaporates and the rice absorbs what it can.

Drain the mushrooms , keep the water and chop the larger ones into bite size pieces, and add them to the rice. Stir them in and then begin adding the stock 1 ladle at a time. Turn the heat down, and stir the liquid around slowly to give the rice time to absorb the stock and cook through. When that ladle has been absorbed add another. This part should last from 15 - 20 minutes - don't rush. After you have used all the stock, taste the rice and if you still need more cooking time you can use the mushroom water. The risotto should be creamy, and the rice should be soft but firm.

Take it off the heat, stir in butter and1/4 cup of parmesan cheese ( use the rest at the table), freshly ground black pepper, and some salt. Drizzle a semi circle of truffle oil on each portion before serving.