Porcini Risotto

Risotto is a creamy rice dish, usually served as a first course in larger Italian meals, but it can also be enjoyed on its own during the week. How do you get around all that stirring on a Wednesday evening? With a pressure cooker-but here the traditional technique is given first.

¾ ounce dried porcini mushrooms

11⁄2 cups boiling water

1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 large onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon stemmed thyme or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1⁄4 teaspoon saffron threads, optional

1 cup Arborio rice

2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely Grated

• Place the dried mushrooms in a large bowl, cover with the boiling water, and set aside to soften for 20 minutes.
• Transfer the mushrooms to a cutting board with a slotted spoon, reserving their soaking liquid. Roughly chop the mushrooms. Strain the liquid through a colander lined with cheesecloth or a fine-mesh sieve like a chinoise to remove any sand. Set the mushrooms and liquid aside separately.
• Bring the broth to the barest simmer (just a bubble or two) in a medium saucepan over low heat. Adjust the heat so the broth stays this warm without boiling. Continue with one of the two methods that follows.
  Traditional method:
  • Heat the olive oil and butter in a kettle or a large saucepan over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the chopped mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and saffron, if using. Cook, stirring all the while, for 30 seconds.
  • Pour in the rice; cook, stirring often, until slightly translucent, about 2 minutes.
  • Pour in the mushroom soaking liquid; cook, stirring constantly, until it has completely evaporated, about 1 minute.
  • Pour in 1⁄2 cup warmed broth. Reduce the heat to very low and stir constantly over the heat until the broth has been absorbed into the rice.
  • Add more broth in 1⁄4-cup increments until the rice is tender but with just a little tooth to the bite, about 40 minutes, stirring all the while.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese before serving.
  Pressure cooker method:
• Heat the olive oil and butter in the kettle of a large pressure cooker over medium heat until the butter has melted. Add the onion; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Stir in the chopped mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and saffron, if using. Cook, stirring all the while, for 30 seconds.
• Pour in the rice; cook, stirring often, until slightly translucent, about 2 minutes.
• Raise the heat to high and add the mushroom soaking liquid and all the broth. Stir well, then lock the lid in place. Bring the cooker to high pressure, following the instructions given by the manufacturer.
• Adjust the heat so that the pressure stays at high and cook for 7 minutes. Unlock the lid by the quick-release method, usually by running cold water over the cooker until the indicator tells you that the pressure is normal or by some other system designed by the manufacturer (check the instruction booklet).
• Return the pot to medium heat and stir until creamy, about 1 minute. Stir in the cheese before serving.

Makes 4 servings