Porcini Mushroom Risotto

It’s best to make the risotto using vegetable broth, but you can also use chicken stock or just plain water. But remember to keep adding more liquid from time to time – it’s what gives risotto it’s beautiful texture. To make the broth, add half a mushroom, half a carrot, a garlic clove and the celery root to a pot. Add about 1 litre water. Add the allspice and a pinch of salt, bring to a boil and cook the broth for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, finely dice the other halves of the onion and carrot. Cut the mushrooms into medium-sized chunks.

Heat up the butter in a skillet and saute the carrot and onion until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent.

Add the mushrooms and saute them until the liquid evaporates. If you’re using frozen mushrooms, be sure to thaw them first.

Add the arborio rice to the skillet and saute it, mixing constantly with a spatula, for about 1 minute. Be careful not to burn the rice.

Pour in the white wine and cook everything for about 2 more minutes or until the alcohol cooks off. 

Then, slowly ladle in the warm vegetable broth. Stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth one ladle at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15 to 20 minutes. The rice should be soft on the outside and a little hard on the inside. After that you can add the quartered tomatoes, if you like. Serve the risotto hot, with a generous sprinkling of parmesan and a few basil leaves to garnish.