Mushroom Truffle Oil Risotto

WOAH where have I been?!  Have you noticed a pattern with my blogging?  I'll be a hard core chef and blogger extraordinaire for like 3 weeks straight, and then I seem to fall off the face of the earth for about a month.  This happens for a few reasons.  1. I run out of creativity.  2. I run out of money - this hobby ain't cheap.  3. I get busy at work/social life.   So that's what's been going on over the past month.  I promise I'm still eating, and cooking, but nothing that is going to make you freak out, so I've sat in silence, waiting for the right opportunity to return to the blog world.

So....here I am!  And I have something so exciting for you, it's going to knock your socks off.  And if you don't have plans for Valentines Day, you should totally make this.  Yes, you'll have to refinance your house so you can pay for the truffle oil, but it's worth it, I promise.  

I followed this recipe by Tyler Florence to the T.  We had this about a month ago when our friends Jill and Lawson came over for dinner.  We had lamb chops (thanks Lawson) and a salad and were sufficiently stuffed afterwards.  Jill provided the truffle oil and left me with a little tupperware of some to use later which proves to me that she loves me.  Because if I had gotten truffle oil for Christmas I wouldn't have shared it with anyone!

Mushroom Truffle Oil Risotto

Serves 4 - 6 (4 main course, 6 side courses)

Ingredients:

1 quart chicken broth

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced and divided

2 garlic cloves, minced and divided

1 pound fresh portobello and crimini mushrooms, sliced

2 bay leaves (I omitted this step)

2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon truffle oil

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms

2 cups aborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

fresh Italian parsley, for garnish

Directions:

Heat the chicken broth in a medium sauce pan and keep warm.  Cover.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat and add 1/2 the onion and 1 clove of garlic.  Cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the fresh mushrooms, herbs, and butter.  Cook for about 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper.  Drizzle with truffle oil and add the dried porcini mushrooms which were reconstituted in 1 cup of warm chicken broth. Season again with salt and pepper, and remove from heat and set aside.

Coat a saucepan with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Saute the remaining onion and garlic clove.  Add the rice and stir quickly, until it is opaque (about 1 minute).  Stir in the wine and cook until it is all evaporated.

Then, with a ladle, add 1 cup of warm chicken broth and stir until it is nearly all absorbed.  Repeat step until all of the chicken broth is incorporated in the risotto.  Transfer the mushrooms to the rice mixture and stir in Parmesan cheese.  Top with just a small drizzle of truffle oil and parsley before serving.

What are you doing for V-day?  We're staying in, and I'm making risotto.  Again.