*NB : The photo I took of my creation looked no where near as good as the one in the book, so excuse my plagerism in this instance – I want your mouth to water, not shrivel.

Porcini Risotto with Red Wine & Thyme Reduction 

Ingredients:
150ml red wine
3 sprigs thyme
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, in skin, ends pierced
200g butter, plus ½ tsp for topping
400g Ferron carnaroli rice
40ml white wine
2L chicken stock
5 medium sized porcini mushrooms
Extra virgin olive oil, to sauté
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese
8 basil leaves, fried
8 sage leaves, fried

Method:
Heat red wine gently with thyme sprigs. Reduce by 2/3. Set aside.

Sweat shallots and 1 garlic clove in the butter over medium heat until soft. Add rice and sweat gently. Stir, then add white wine and reduce. Heat stock and add to just cover rice. Stir. Repeat, adding less stock each time as rice cooks.

While rice is cooking, dice 2 mushrooms. Sauté in a pan with olive oil and remaining garlic. Remove from pan and season to taste. Slice remaining mushrooms lengthwise and sauté gently in same garlic and oil. Set aside and keep warm. Stir diced mushrooms in to rice 1 minute before rice is ready. Heat red wine reduction and reduce further, until almost syrupy.

When risotto is creamy and rice holds its shape but is not crunchy, remove from heat and top with ½ tsp butter, parmesan cheese and olive oil.

To Serve:
Divide risotto between plates, press flat, and fan sliced mushrooms on top. Fry basil and sage leaves in hot oil until crisp, place on top of risotto. Drizzle with red wine reduction.
[Serves 4]

Recipe was taken from a fantastic book called The Masters of Cuisine.  This series of books takes incredible and well known chefs and reveals the recipes for their signature dishes, often those served in the restaurants or establishments in which they make their living.  This particular recipe is from Joseph Vargetto from Number 8 restaurant and wine bar. 

I cooked this last night for my Valentine and it was DELICIOUS.  Probably the best risotto I’ve ever made – but 200g of butter will do that, I guess!  We topped it off with a chocolate on chocolate on chocolate creation that I whipped up on the spot from chocolate icecream, butterscotch sauce and cooking chocolate and some chocolate sprinkles.  Mmmmmm – just what a girl wants for Valentine’s Day!