Wild Mushroom Risotto

A restaurant-quality dish made right at home, this Wild Mushroom Risotto is elegant yet comforting. Dried and fresh mushrooms create a rich, umami-packed stock, while Parmesan cheese and butter bring luscious creaminess. The addition of baby kale adds a fresh, earthy balance to the dish. Perfect for a cozy dinner or an impressive side for guests.

Recipe Information

Total Time:

Yield:

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

8 cups cold water

2 cups mixed dried mushrooms, such as oyster, portobello and shiitake

4 fresh thyme sprigs, divided

½ cup salted butter, divided

1 pound mixed fresh mushrooms, such as baby bella, hen of the woods, oyster, shiitake, white button and wood ear, trimmed and halved

2 shallots, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt

½ teaspoon cracked black pepper

1½ cups Arborio rice

½ cup white wine vinegar

1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

2 cups lightly packed baby kale, plus additional for garnish

Directions

For mushroom stock, in a 4-quart saucepan, combine cold water, dried mushrooms and 2 thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Strain mushrooms through a fine-mesh sieve set over a large bowl; discard mushrooms and thyme. Return stock to the saucepan. Gently simmer over low heat.
Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, melt ¼ cup butter over medium heat. Add fresh mushrooms and shallots. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, salt, black pepper and remaining 2 thyme sprigs. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Transfer mushroom mixture to a bowl, removing and discarding thyme; set aside.
Melt remaining ¼ cup butter in same Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in rice. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until rice begins to look translucent, stirring often.
Add vinegar to rice mixture; cook and stir until liquid is absorbed. Add 1 cup hot mushroom stock; cook and stir until almost all of the stock is absorbed. Continue cooking for 20 to 25 minutes, adding 1 cup of stock at a time and stirring after each addition until almost absorbed.
Set aside 1 cup cooked mushroom mixture. Stir remaining mushroom mixture into cooked rice. Gently stir in cheese, then 2 cups kale. Cook for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Mixture should be creamy and rice slightly firm when done. Top with reserved mushrooms. Garnish with additional kale, if desired. Serve immediately.