Serves 4 As a starter (can also be served as a main or garnish with fish or poultry)
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp olive oil
50g onion - chopped
1 clove of garlic
200g wild mushrooms washed and cut into small pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
200g Vialone Nano or Carnaroli risotto rice
100ml white wine (e.g. Sauvignon Blanc)
200ml warm chicken stock
300ml water
To finish:
20g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
30g unsalted butter
30ml extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
100g wild mushrooms
Method
Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based pan, add the onion, garlic, wild mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook gently until the onion is transparent and soft. Now add the rice and continue to cook, stirring until it is too hot to touch.
Add the white wine and reduce, then start to add the warm stock a little at a time, stirring constantly. Cook for 18 minutes from adding the wine, continuing to add the stock and water gradually, then remove from the pan and leave to cool on a tray.
To finish heat a few tablespoons of water and add the risotto. You may need to add more water to achieve the required texture. Then add the freshly grated Parmesan, butter, olive oil and chopped chives, stirring vigorously on a low heat for about 3 minutes until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper.
Pan-fry the mushrooms in a little butter or olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the risotto into your serving bowls, sprinkle the mushrooms on top and finish with more freshly grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil.
Note: for a vegetarian option, use water or mushroom stock instead of chicken stock. If using dried mushrooms, you will need to reconstitute them by soaking them in cold water. Keep the mushroom water and use it for stock in place of plain water.
Recipes from Michael Caines, whose Cornish waterside restaurants The Harbourside Refuge, Porthleven, and The Cove Restaurant and Bar, Maenporth, bring an oasis of taste and visual shoreline beauty.