Where the wild things grow
You don’t have to look far to find a natural offering.
As we ventured through the forest together, we discovered nature’s bounty in full-fragranced bloom. I remember a forager once saying – ‘what you see outdoors is not a green blanket, there is a whole world waiting…’
From nature to the table – a simple wild garlic and mushroom risotto. Wholesome, warming and comforting, especially on a drizzly day.
Recipe
30 - 40g dried mushrooms (I like mixed or porcini)
250g fresh chestnut mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or 1 tablespoon of vegan butter (I prefer Naturli)
4 small shallots or ½ large onion, finely diced
3 large garlic cloves, crushed. 2 set aside for the risotto and 1 for the mushrooms
400g risotto rice
120ml vegan white wine or juice from half a lemon
500ml veggie stock
salt and black pepper, to taste
a handful of chopped wild garlic leaves and flowers reserved for garnish
1 - 2 tablespoons of soya sauce (optional)
150g frozen peas or a couple of handfuls
Method
Place the dried mushrooms in a measuring jug or a small pot and cover with 500ml of boiling water. Cover and set aside to soften for about 30 minutes.
Clean the fresh mushrooms using a paper towel or clean cloth and slice.
Set a large pan on a medium heat with about 2tbsp of olive oil or 1 tbsp vegan butter and slowly add the sliced fresh mushrooms in batches to avoid overcrowding. Allow them to caramelise on one side before stirring the pan and leaving them to further caramelise. Add the crushed garlic clove. Option to add the soya sauce. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well, allowing the garlic to cook gently in the mushrooms. If you added soya sauce, wait until it has fully absorbed and the mushrooms looks sticky. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside.
Gently heat 2tbsp of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan or pot.
Add chopped shallots (or onion) and fry on a low heat until translucent (about 5 minutes), occasionally stirring to avoid sticking.
Add the remaining 2 garlic cloves to the shallots and fry, stirring frequently, until fragrant and softened (about 2 minutes).
Mix in rice and fry it off for a few seconds, stirring frequently so it mixes with the shallots.
Drain the dried mushroom liquor into a jug and stir in the stock. Chop up the rehydrated porcini and set aside.
Add the wine (or lemon juice) to the rice and allow the wine to cook off completely (or the lemon juice to absorb) before adding the first small portion (about 60ml) of mushroom liquor / stock. Stir until absorbed.
Add the chopped rehydrated mushrooms and continue to add the stock in small amounts until fully absorbed by the rice before adding the next portion. Make sure to stir the rice often to activate the starch, which makes the risotto creamy. If you run out of stock, slowly add a little water.
Keep on adding the stock to the rice until the rice is almost al dente. It will take about 20 minutes.
Approximately 4 - 5mins before the rice is cooked, stir in the frozen peas.
Taste a grain of rice to make sure it is ready. Take the pot off the heat and stir in the cooked mushrooms and wild garlic leaves, making sure they don’t lose their bright green colour.
Serve with wild garlic flowers and a crack of pepper.
Enjoy!