Serves 4
1 Oz. Dried Porcini Mushrooms, Rehydrated, Stained, Chopped, Reserve the Liquid
2 Tablespoons XVOO
¼ Cup Shallots, Finely Diced
1 Cup Arborio Rice or Carnaroli Rice (Carnaroli is Best)
3 Cups Homemade Chicken Stock or Canned Low Sodium Chicken Broth, Heated, Plus 1 Cup Extra If Needed to Finish
1 Cup Reserved Porcini Soaking Liquid
1 Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt
½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 Cups Packed Baby Spinach, About 5 Ounces
¼ Cup Sun Dried Tomatoes, Julienned and Re-Hydrated
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
1/3 Cup Parmigiano Reggiano, Grated
Meatballs Italiano
Heat a 2 quart heavy sauce pan over medium heat. Heat XVOO to just shimmering and add the shallots, re-hydrated porcini mushrooms and sun-dried tomatoes, salt and pepper and sauté until the shallots are translucent, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.
Add rice and stir well to be sure each grain of rice is coated with the XVOO. Lower heat to medium low and stir in one cup of porcini liquid. Stir continuously until the entire cup of porcini liquid is incorporated. Add 1/3 cup chicken stock and stir continuously until all of that stock is incorporated. Do this with all of the rest of the 3 cups of stock in 1/3 cup additions, always stirring, for approximately 20 minutes. You want the mixture to be creamy, not broken, and the grains of rice should be tender and not crunchy. When the rice is perfectly perfect, add the spinach and stir to incorporate completely and is wilted. Add the butter and cheese and stir until completely incorporated. If the Risotto is too thick and not creamy, add some of the extra hot stock to loosen it up. It must be creamy to be perfect.
Divide the Risotto between four warm bowl. Top with Meatballs Italiano and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Hints and Tips: Risotto is a rice dish made with a particular kind of rice – either Arborio or Carnaroli. You need a high starch variety of rice in order to cook a real risotto. The main difference comes from the rice variety, but the way you cook risotto is also a bit different from how you cook other kinds of rice dishes. You don’t want the rice to separate from the stock. The best way to keep this from happening is to cook slowly and to be sure each addition of stock is fully absorbed by the rice before you put in the next addition. Also, at the very end of cooking vigorously stir and shake the risotto. The continuous stirring is what makes the risotto creamy. Stirring separates the starch from the rice and incorporates it into the chicken stock.
