Porcini Mushroom Risotto with Rocket and Shaved Parmesan

Mushroom risotto to me is a brilliant way to start a dinner party. With its delicious but relaxed flavours and its creamy but refreshing texture helps to ease you into the food you are about to enjoy throughout the night. It is finished off with crunchy fresh rocket and flavoursome shavings of parmesan, all together making it a brilliant meal. However, it can also be a brilliant a comforting home meal as its easy and simple to bring together. Wherever the situation in which its being served, it is always a delicious choice.

Ingredients:

- 15g dried porcini mushrooms

- 290ml warm water

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 30g butter

- 1 onion

- 1 garlic clove

- 200g mushrooms

- juice of half a lemon

- 185g risotto rice

- 60ml dry white wine

- 450ml vegetable stock - handful of fresh parsley

- 40g parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Place dried porcini mushroom in the bowl of warm water and soak them until needed

2. warm oil and half of the butter in a large pan and add the diced onion and crushed garlic clove and cook over a gentle heat until soft

3. Whilst that is cooking, melt the remaining butter in a smaller saucepan with the fresh diced mushrooms and lemon juice and cook for 5 minutes

4. Add the rice to the onion saucepan and stir over the heat for about half a minute

5. Add both the dried and soaked mushrooms to the rice (with the water the porcini mushrooms were soaking in)

6. Pour in the white wine until the majority of the liquid has evaporated

7. Add 3/4 of the stock and stir the rice occasionally and continue adding stock until the rice is cooked (if the rice looks dry the continue to add more stock) simmer for about 20-25 minutes

8. Stir in grated parmesan and add a pinch of salt and pepper to season to taste 9. Garnish the risotto with shaved parmesan and crunchy fresh rocket to serve