Wild Mushroom Risotto

Heat the chicken stock along with the reserved strained porcini soaking liquid; lower the heat to a simmer. In a medium, heavy-gauge saucepan over medium-high heat, melt 2 T. of the butter. Stir in the rice, toasting just until it starts to sizzle and pop, about 1 minute. It should not color. Stir the porcini and the fresh mushrooms into the rice. Stir in the wine. When almost all the liquid has disappeared, after about 2 minutes, add just enough hot stock to cover the rice. Lower the heat to maintain a vigorous simmer; stir occasionally. When the stock is almost gone, add enough to cover the rice, along with a pinch of salt. Check on the risotto every 3-4 minutes, giving it an occasional stir to make sure it isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pan and adding just enough stock to cover the rice when the liquid has almost disappeared. Continue this way until the rice is just al dente, about 20 minutes total cooking time. Bite into a grain; you should see a white pin-dot in the center. Take the risotto off the heat. Add the remaining 2 T. butter; stir vigorously for a few seconds. Add the parsley, cheese, and more salt if needed. The risotto should be moist and creamy, not runny. Stir in more stock to loosen the risotto if you like. Serve immediately.

Note: To test the consistency, spoon a little into a bowl and shake it lightly from side to side. The risotto should spread out very gently of its own accord. If the rice just stands still, it’s too dry so add a little more stock. If a puddle of liquid forms around the rice, you’ve added too much stock. Spoon some liquid off or just let the risotto sit for a few more seconds off the heat to absorb the excess stock.