Italian cuisine gave the world many tasty dishes, one of which is risotto. It is not similar to any other rice dish, as it is prepared using a unique technology. As an additional ingredient, you can use chicken, vegetables, mushrooms. Risotto with mushrooms is especially popular among our compatriots, as the dishes with mushrooms make up a significant part of Russian cuisine and are close to our taste. However, it is unlikely anyone will be able to cook this dish correctly without knowing some of the subtleties.
Cooking Features
The main feature of risotto, which distinguishes it from other rice dishes, is that it is cooked in a frying pan from beginning to end, that is, rice is not boiled, but fried. Plov has a similar cooking technology, but there are still significant differences. Therefore, if you want to cook a risotto with mushrooms that is identical to the original, you should know and take into account several important points.
- As already mentioned, for cooking risotto you need a frying pan, always deep and with a thick bottom. Best of all for this role is suitable cast iron pan. However, if desired, risotto can be prepared in a slow cooker. It will be a departure from the traditional technology, but the finished dish will come out so tasty and similar to the real risotto that no one would guess about a small violation of the technology.
- It is very important to choose the right rice for risotto. Italians use one of three varieties for it: the nialon niallo, arborio or carnaroli. They all have similar characteristics, the main of which is high starch content. Almost all round-grain rice has these properties, so if you wish, rare varieties for us can be replaced with any other varieties of rice with round grains.
- Cooking risotto should be done on low heat so that the liquid is absorbed and not evaporated. Thanks to this, vegetables will also remain tender and soft, so that the delicate taste of mushroom risotto will not spoil it.
- Onions for risotto should be cut very small, as large pieces will spoil the appearance of the dish, and its delicate taste.
- For cooking risotto, wine and broth are most often used. It is necessary to pour in them gradually, in small portions. Only after the rice has absorbed the first portion, can the second be added.
- Using butter instead of vegetable oil will give the risotto a unique creamy taste. Often, butter and vegetable oil are used for risotto. If you want the risotto to have a truly Italian taste, vegetable oil preference is better to give olive.
- Often cheese is included in mushroom risotto. He should not be taken too much so that he would not interrupt, but only set off the taste of rice. However, cheese needs quality. Usually it is Parmesan or similar hard cheese. Before adding it to the risotto, it is finely rubbed.
Risotto in Italy began cooking in the Middle Ages, so today there are a huge number of recipes for this dish. For this reason, the technology of making risotto is sometimes slightly different from the traditional one. In case of discrepancy, it is better to focus on the instructions in the recipe itself.
Mushroom risotto with mushrooms
Composition:
- rice - 0, 2 kg;
- white mushrooms - 0, 5 kg;
- dry white wine - 100 ml;
- butter - 50 g;
- olive oil - 60 ml;
- chicken broth - 0, 75 l;
- onions - 100 g;
- hard or semi-hard cheese - 100 g;
- salt, pepper - to taste.
Preparation Method:
- Rinse the rice.
- Wash the mushrooms and slice them.
- Cut the cheese into small cubes.
- Peel and chop the onion into small pieces.
- Pour olive oil into the bowl of the multicooker, put mushrooms into it. Start the “Frying” program and cook the mushrooms for 15 minutes. In the absence of the “Frying” program, the Baking program will successfully replace it.
- Remove the mushrooms from the multicooker. Add butter. Put onions. Using the same program, fry it for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle rice. Stir 5 minutes, stirring, without changing the cooking mode.
- Pour in wine, stir. When the wine is absorbed, add a glass of broth. After its absorption, add another glass of broth and cook until complete absorption of this broth.
- Pour in the last portion of broth, mix well. Put the mushrooms, add the pieces of cheese, mix.
- Lower the multicooker lid. Cook for another 5 minutes in the “Baking” mode, then leave the risotto for another 15-20 minutes in the heating mode.
In the case of risotto, the multicooker will not be able to significantly simplify the cooking process, but it will help out if you do not have a large cast-iron frying pan.
Chicken and mushroom risotto
Composition:
- chicken breast fillet - 0, 4 kg;
- champignons - 0, 4 kg;
- rice - 0, 2 kg;
- onions - 100 g;
- dry white wine - 150 ml;
- Parmesan cheese - 100 g;
- parsley - 50 g;
- butter - 50 ml;
- vegetable oil - 50 ml;
- water - 1, 2 l;
- salt, pepper - to taste.
Preparation Method:
- Wash the chicken breast fillet, put it in a saucepan, cover with water and cook for 20 minutes, 5 minutes before being cooked, add salt and pepper.
- Take the chicken fillet out of the broth. Broth strain. Cool the fillet and cut into small cubes.
- Cut the champignons into plates.
- Finely chop the peeled onions.
- Melt the butter and put the mushrooms in it. Fry until the excess liquid released from the mushrooms evaporates.
- Add the chicken pieces, fry them together with the mushrooms for 5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and mushrooms from the pan. Wash, dry, heat olive oil on the pan.
- Put onion and lightly brown it.
- When the onions are soft, add rice. Stir 5 minutes, stirring it.
- Pour in wine, mix. When the wine is absorbed, start pouring the broth in parts, each time waiting for it to be completely absorbed.
- When the broth is over, add the chicken and mushrooms, add the finely grated cheese into the risotto and stir.
Before serving, the dish will remain sprinkled with chopped parsley, so that it looks even more appetizing. In addition, parsley well emphasizes the aroma of mushrooms.
Risotto with mushrooms in cream sauce
Composition:
- rice - 0, 2 kg;
- mushroom broth - 0, 5 l;
- champignons - 0, 4 kg;
- onions - 100 g;
- carrots - 100 g;
- olive oil - 50 ml;
- butter - 50 g;
- cream - 0, 2 l;
- dry white wine - 150 ml;
- salt, spices - to taste.
Preparation Method:
- Onions cut into small pieces, grate carrots coarsely.
- Cut the champignons into plates.
- Put onions and mushrooms in melted butter, fry them to such an extent that the liquid released from the mushrooms will evaporate completely. Remove from heat.
- Heat olive oil in a separate pan.
- Sprinkle rice and fry it with mushrooms for 5 minutes.
- Pour in the wine. When the smell of alcohol will not be felt, pour in a glass of broth. Mix thoroughly, wait until the broth is absorbed into the rice. Gradually add the remaining broth, each time waiting for it to be absorbed.
- Add champignons to rice. Pour in the cream, stir. Stew the dish in cream for 15 minutes.
If desired, a finely chopped clove of garlic can be added to the cream. Then the risotto will be even more fragrant.
