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1/4 cup dried wild mushrooms
3 thick slices pancetta, cut into 1 cm cubes
10 brown mushrooms, peeled and sliced
small amount olive oil (if needed)1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery greens (the inner core, including leaves)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup arborio rice (or your favourite risotto rice)
1 litre chicken stock (warming on another element)
1 Tbs. butter
1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
1. Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl of boiling water. Cover and let sit till needed.
2. Cook the pancetta in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat until just crisp.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Cook the brown mushrooms in the pancetta fat. When just crisp, remove from the pan and set aside with the pancetta. You may need to add a little olive oil at this point.
4. Fry the red onion and celery greens on low heat till the onions are just starting to caramelize. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Toss the arborio rice into the pan and stir continually until you see that the kernels are slightly toasted.
6. Add the hot stock by the half-up full, allowing each half cup to be absorbed the the rice before adding the next half cup full.
7. Before the rice reaches the al dente stage, drain the wild mushrooms from the hot water. Add this water to the risotto and set the wild mushrooms aside with the pancetta and brown mushrooms.
8. When the rice reaches the al dente stage (be very careful not to overcook and achieve mush!) stir in the pancetta, brown and wild mushrooms, allowing those ingredients to reach the same temperature as the rice.
9. At this point, turn off the heat and stir in the butter and parmigiano for extra creaminess, flavour and gloss.
10. Serve in a pre-warmed, shallow bowl with a sprig of rosemary
*For the prawn, pea and pancetta risotto (pictured):
Omit the mushrooms. You can alternatively use prawn stock instead of chicken stock. Add prawns, peas and pancetta at Stage 8. Italian purists wouldn't add parmesan to a seafood risotto so it's your choice to omit or include.
