Barefoot Contessa Wild Mushroom Risotto Recipes

SAUTEED WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Brush the caps of each mushroom with a clean sponge. Remove and discard the stems. Slice the small mushrooms thickly and cut the large ones in a large dice.
• Heat the olive oil in a large (11 - inch) Dutch oven or saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the butter, mushrooms, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes, until they are tender and begin to release their juices, stirring often. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Toss in the parsley, sprinkle with salt, and serve warm.

FRESH CRAB AND PEA RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the stock in a medium saucepan and keep it simmering over low heat.
• In a medium (10 to 11-inch) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots, fennel, and poblano pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic, thyme, saffron, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat all the grains with butter and oil. Add the wine and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, until almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Add 1/2 cup of the simmering stock to the rice and cook, stirring frequently (see Cook's Note). When the stock is almost completely absorbed, continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, simmering the risotto until the stock is absorbed each time before adding more stock. Cook until the rice is al dente; it should take between 25 and 30 minutes.
• When the rice is done, stir in the creme fraiche, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Fold in the crabmeat and peas and cook over low heat for 2 minutes, until the crabmeat is warmed through. Add just enough simmering stock to make the risotto moist and creamy. Serve hot in large, shallow bowls and sprinkle with chives and lemon zest.

EASY PARMESAN "RISOTTO"

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the rice and 4 cups of the chicken stock in a Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Cover and bake for 45 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente. Remove from the oven, add the remaining cup of chicken stock, the Parmesan, wine, butter, salt, and pepper, and stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Add the peas and stir until heated through. Serve hot.

INA GARTEN WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Steps:

• Place the dried morels in a bowl and pour 2 cups boiling water over them. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Scoop the morels from the water with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid. You should have 2 cups; if not, add water to make 2 cups.
• Drain the morels and rinse once more. If some of the mushrooms are large, cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Pour the mushroom liquid through a coffee filter or paper towel, discarding the gritty solids. Set the mushrooms and the liquid aside separately.
• Meanwhile, remove and discard the stems of the porcini and rub any dirt off the caps with a damp paper towel. Dont rinse them! Slice thickly and set aside.
• In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock with the 2 cups of reserved mushroom liquid and bring to a simmer.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
• Add the morels and porcini and saute for another 5 minutes.
• Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter.
• Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add 2 full ladles of the chicken stock mixture to the rice plus the saffron, salt, and pepper. Stir and simmer over low heat until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Continue to add the stock mixture, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry before adding more of the stock mixture. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 25 to 30 minutes total. When done, the risotto should be thick and creamy and not at all dry. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Serve hot in bowls with extra cheese.

WILD MUSHROOM RISOTTO

Steps:

• Mushroom Garnish: While stock is simmering, mince the shallot and garlic. (Note: Chef Kaysen minces a whole shallot, but uses only half.) Set aside. Prepare chanterelles by tearing them into smaller pieces, like string cheese. If the chanterelles are very dirty, rinse in a bowl of water and gently wring through a clean dish towel to remove the absorbed water. Set aside. Slice the creminis and set aside. Pluck the tops of the maitakes from the base and set tops aside; add bases to stock (optional). Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil and as many mushrooms as can fit in one layer. Sauté until mushrooms have just begun to caramelize, 1-2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt, remaining tablespoon of oil, and the butter. Stir and sauté another 1-2 minutes. Add shallots and garlic; stir and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Pull thyme leaves from the stem, roughly chop, and add to mushrooms. Turn off the heat and set the skillet aside.
• Risotto: Peel and trim the onion. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat; then add onions and a pinch of salt. Stir and cook until onions are translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add rice and stir constantly, until the grains are translucent around the edges, 3-5 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until the liquid is absorbed into the rice. Reduce heat to medium. Add the Mushroom Stock 1 cup at a time, stirring continually after each addition until the rice has absorbed almost all of the liquid before adding the next cup. This should take about 20 minutes total. (Make sure no grains are sticking to the sides of the pot.)
• When the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and has thickened, add ½ cup of the reserved Mushroom Purée and a pinch of salt; stir to combine. (Remaining purée can be frozen for up to 2 months.) Stir in Parmigiano and Pecorino, then turn off heat. Add mascarpone; add more Parmigiano and salt to taste. Stir until combined and creamy.Divide the risotto into 6 serving bowls. Evenly divide warm Mushroom Garnish on top of each. Garnish with a final dusting of grated Parmigiano and serve immediately.
• Set a medium pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Clean mushrooms by gently wiping away the dirt with a clean towel. Set aside. Smash and mince the garlic. To the pot, add the minced shallot, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Stir and sweat until translucent, 5 minutes. Meanwhile, roughly chop the mushrooms and add to the pot along with the thyme leaves. Turn heat to high, add the Madeira, and stir to deglaze the pan; continue cooking until the liquid has mostly evaporated (called au sec in French), 5 minutes. Add the water, bring to a simmer, and cook over low heat, uncovered, 30-45 minutes.
• Part 2: After 30-45 minutes, taste the stock and add salt to taste. Pour the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large container; add warm water until you have 8 cups of liquid. Set Mushroom Stock aside. In a blender or food processor, puree the solids from the stock )adding a bit of stock as needed). Season to taste with salt and set aside.

SPRING GREEN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)
• When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.
• Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.