Risotto, How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways . . .

In my mind fall can only mean one thing - comfort food. And in my opinion there is truly no greater comfort food on this planet than risotto. I have always suspected that I must have been Italian in a past life - a culture that combines wine and cheese and butter into it's dishes is definitely my kind of culture. And even though all risottos are delicious to me, there is one that stands far superior to all others in my mind: porcini mushroom risotto. My father-in-law, who went to high school in Italy and makes amazing Italian food, judges each Italian restaurant he eats at by the porcini mushroom risotto - if the risotto is not up to par, he does not return.

I too have fallen in love with a restaurant solely because of their porcini mushroom risotto. As I child I was a very picky eater and the very mention of mushrooms was enough to send me screaming and running away from a meal to hide in my room. But on a trip to Boston in 2002 I had a mushroom conversion. My mother-in-law, a native Bostonian, insisted that we head to the North End (Boston's Italian section) and dine at Villa Francesca no matter how long the wait. We settled in and I ordered the Lobster Ravioli, which was delicious, but Paul ordered the porcini mushroom risotto to follow along in his father's footsteps. I was hesitant to try it at first due to my dislike for mushrooms but I decided that I was on vacation, so why not throw caution to the wind and try some. I took a bite. The rich, creamy risotto melted in my mouth. I wanted another. I had never had anything like it. I wanted to lick the bowl clean. Boy had I been missing out during all of those years of mushroom avoidance. What had I been thinking?

For years I became a woman obsessed. I wanted to make up for all of the time I had wasted not eating mushrooms. I have never lived anywhere near Boston and I had to find a way to make it myself. So I got to work, tried tons of different recipes, and took the parts I liked from each one and combined them to make my own, which I am now sharing with you. Now that I can make it in the privacy of my own home, I can lick the bowl clean - and it's even father-in-law approved.

5 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 ounce dried porcini muchrooms (if porcini are out of season, substitute dried shiitake mushrooms)

2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large white onion, diced
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, finely chopped (you can substitute different mushrooms based on your taste preference or what you have on hand)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried marjarom
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (I like to use a South African Chenin Blanc, particularly the one from Mann Vintners)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus extra to be used as a garnish

Bring chicken broth to a boil in large stockpot. Add dried porcini (or shiitake) mushrooms and simmer until just tender. Remove mushroom and allow to cool before chopping finely. Reduce heat to as low as possible and cover broth to keep warm.

In a separate large pot, melt butter with oil over medium-low heat. Saute onions until tender, approximately 10 minutes. Add crimini and baby bella mushrooms and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, porcini, marjarom, and thyme. Stir to incorporate and cook for about 4 minutes. Add rice and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add wine and cook until absorbed. (Reduce heat a little if wine absorbs in less than a minute). Add one cup warm mushroom-infused chicken broth to the rice mixture. Stir often and cook until broth is absorbed. Continue to add broth by the cupful, allowing broth to be completely absorbed each time before adding more. Stir often. After all broth has been incorporated, add parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Plate and shave parmesan on top to garnish.