Right after truffles, porcini probably have the most intense flavor of all mushrooms. No wonder porcini risotto, with its deep and intense flavors, is one of the most delicious dishes ever made.
What’s interesting is that you only need a small amount of porcini to achieve all those deep umami flavors. That small amount of porcini, together with the chicken stock and Parmesan cheese, creates a fantastic depth of flavor.
Of course, you can use more porcini, but that won’t necessarily make the flavors any deeper. Porcini are also expensive, so you probably don’t want to waste them. If you do want to intensify the flavor, I recommend reducing the chicken stock by half. In other words, use double the amount of stock indicated in the recipe and boil it down until it is reduced by half before adding it to the risotto.
What Are Porcini Mushrooms?
Porcini mushrooms are brown-capped mushrooms with thick, white stalks. They are prized in Italian and French cooking and are one of those special ingredients that help create that sought-after umami flavor.
Porcini is the Italian name and is also commonly used in English. Boletus edulis, cep, penny bun, and porcino are other names you may come across.
Dried porcini are available year-round in larger supermarkets or online. If you are lucky enough to get fresh ones, they are definitely worth a try. I used dried mushrooms in this porcini risotto recipe. If you use fresh ones, simply skip the soaking step; all the other steps stay the same.
Porcini Risotto Tips
Authentic Italian risotto has its own technique. If this is your first time making risotto, or you simply want to understand it better and improve your skills, make sure to read these two articles first: How to make risotto and The secrets of making a perfect risotto.
The most important tip is how to handle the stock and the rice. Here are the two essential steps:
- Heat up the chicken stock in a pot before you start making the risotto. The stock has to be hot, just lightly simmering during the whole process. Best practice is to cook the risotto in one pot, and have the stock in another one on low heat.
- Add only one ladle of hot stock to the rice at a time. Stir it in and let the rice absorb almost all the liquid. Repeat this process until the rice is cooked al dente. This method ensures the creamy, soup-like result authentic Italian risotto is so famous for.
Make sure to use risotto rice for your porcini risotto. Carnaroli, Roma, and Arborio are among the most popular types in Italy. You can find at least one of these in most larger grocery stores, and of course you can order them online.
Cooking time depends on the type of rice you are using and on your preference. The cooking time is always shown on the packaging, so use that as your reference. It is usually between 14 and 20 minutes. Please note that Italians like their risotto al dente. If you prefer your rice cooked all the way through, you’ll need 2–5 more minutes.
The exact quantity of stock also depends on the type of rice and on how you like your rice cooked. Make sure you always have some extra hot liquid on hand when making porcini risotto.
You can add the mushrooms any time during the cooking process. Probably the best is to wait until the last couple of minutes. By doing so the mushrooms won’t be overcooked and the dish will have an intense flavor. When you add the mushrooms, pour the soaking liquid on the rice as well as it has already absorbed a lot of flavors.
For a vegetarian version, simply use veggie stock instead of the chicken stock.
Porcini Risotto
Ingredients
- 2½ cups risotto rice 500 g, types: Arborio, Carnaroli, Roma, Vialone Nano
- 1 onion medium-sized
- 1 clove garlic
- 30 g dried porcini mushrooms 1 oz
- ½ cup white wine 120 ml
- 6 cups chicken stock 1200 ml, use vegetable stock for vegetarian version
- 1 stick butter 110 g
- 1 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
- 60 g Parmesan cheese about 2½ tablespoons
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut the dried mushrooms into smaller pieces. Soak them in warm water in a bowl. Chop the onion and garlic finely.
- Heat up the chicken stock in a pot. It has to be hot by the time you mix it with the rice.
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and half of the butter, then add the onion. Sauté it over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until softened, then add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
- Add the risotto rice. Stir occasionally for about 2 minutes, until the edges of the grains become transparent.
- Pour in the wine, stir and let the liquid evaporate for another half minute.
- Add one ladle of hot stock at a time. Stir the rice, then let it absorb the stock. Repeat until the rice is cooked al dente. This takes 14 to 20 minutes, depending on the type of rice. Check the packaging for the cooking time.
- Add the mushrooms with the soaking liquid 1-2 minutes before the rice is cooked. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Take it off the heat, stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and the remaining butter. Cover and let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Stir it once more and serve hot.
