10/22/2021
Since October should be National Pinot Noir Month, we like to share a recipe that is fabulous with a full bodied Pinot Noir, like the ones that come from Santa Barbara County or Russian River Valley. These wines are generally rich, with black cherry, forest floor and spice box aromas and flavors.
Two that we recommend with this recipe are Siduri from Santa Lucia Highlands, “Rosella’s Vineyard” at $44.99, or, Raeburn Pinot from Russian River Valley, a classic California Pinot appellation, at $24.99
Mushroom Risotto Recipe:
Serves 2, can be doubled
1 oz bold dried mushrooms; morels, creminis or sh*takes, or any combo of them
1-14 oz can of chicken stock
3T butter, divided
½ cup risotto
2 oz grated Gruyere cheese
Dash of Truffle oil or a pinch of truffle salt to finish
4 oz fresh, assertive mushrooms; cremini, brown beech, sh*take, etc, cleaned and sliced
Put the dried mushrooms in a saucepan with the chicken stock and heat until it just comes to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep 1 hour. Strain through cheesecloth and discard mushrooms. You can do this 2 days in advance and refrigerate. When ready to use, microwave to reheat.
Heat 1T butter in saucepan, add risotto and cook 2 minutes. Begin adding the stock ¼ cup at a time, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid before adding more. The risotto should take 35-40 minutes to cook. Stir in Gruyere when the rice is done cooking.
10 minutes before the risotto is done, add the fresh mushrooms to a dry skillet over medium heat. I like to start mushrooms in a dry skillet because they will leech out their moisture and create a “fond” on the bottom of the pan. (The brown bits of intense flavor that stick to the bottom of the pan) When the moisture had evaporated, add 2T butter and sauté until mushrooms are tender, scraping up the brown bits.
Serve mushrooms over risotto with grilled salmon, roasted chicken thighs, or better yet, duck leg confit. A little Chinese five spice on the protein is a nice compliment.
Bon Appetit!
