MUSHROOM RISOTTO

A good risotto should be creamy with soft but not mushy grains. It might take a couple of attempts to get right, but once you have it perfected, there is no end to the variations you can develop yourself. Try using canned or sun-dried tomatoes, different herbs or green vegetables. If you feel like treating yourself, substitute a glass of wine (white or red) for some of the stock.

Serves 2

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed (or use a garlic press)
• 250g (8 oz) risotto rice
• 250g (8 oz) flat mushrooms, sliced
• 900 ml (1½ pints) vegetable stock
• 30g (1 oz) butter
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley
• seasoning

Method

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and gently fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the rice and mushrooms and cook together for 1 minute.
2. Gradually add the stock a little at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding any more, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is cooked. Keep the rice over a fairly high heat, stir it frequently and it should take 20 minutes. If it takes longer than this, the rice will become too soft, so don’t be afraid to raise the heat.
3. When the rice is cooked, stir in the butter, Parmesan and parsley. Season to taste and serve immediately.