LEEK RISOTTO WITH HERB MARINATED MUSHROOMS AND SARDINIAN PECORINO

Monday, March 22, 2010 · by Ilva · in

Blossoms

It is time to get back on a more ordered track here on Lucullian, I have been a bad blogger but what can you do when Inspiration just don’t want to make an appearance? But now I have re-charged a bit and ideas are beginning to seep in again, nothing grand but at least food that I personally would like to eat and as I cannot be that unique in this world, I hope you too would like to eat it!

Leek Risotto with Herb Marinated Mushrooms and Sardinian Pecorino

Even though I don’t like when things like this happens, I mean when you go through a big blank period, I do appreciate that my mind and body are so much wiser and sensible than I am, I tend to go on, usually out of duty or because I feel guilt or pressure or some other unnecessary and useless feeling, when I really just should take a break and do what I once upon time used to do, tell myself that it is time for a break and force myself to just let go of things for 4-5 days. I was wiser then. And without a family, if you know what I mean.

Blossoms

Leek is a great ingredient in savoury dishes, it has such a mild but pronounced flavour and you can decide for yourself how pronounce you want it to be by either using the white or the green part, in this dish I have used the greener part as I wanted the risotto to have a more pronounced taste of leek. This is the type of dish that you can serve for dinner because it doesn’t take that long to make and you can serve at a dinner party because it tastes great, the leek and rice is a nice background to the herbs and slightly tangy mushrooms and I think it looks quite nice too!

Leek Risotto with Herb Marinated Mushrooms and Sardinian Pecorino

LEEK RISOTTO WITH HERB MARINATED MUSHROOMS AND SARDINIAN PECORINO

4 servings

500 g/ 17.64 oz Arborio or Carnaroli rice
the green part of a large leek
15-20 mushrooms, I used simple button mushrooms
4 filled tsp of fresh herbs, finely chopped. I used rosemary, thyme, mint and some new lavender shots but you can vary the selection like you want
1 lemon
Italian cheese, I used a lovely aged Sardinian pecorino but you can use Parmesan or Grana Reggiana if you want
2000 ml/approx. 8 cups good chicken or vegetable stock
extra-virgin olive oil

- Before you start on the risotto, begin with the mushrooms: slice the mushrooms and fry them until golden in a little olive oil. Put them in a bowl, add herbs, the grated zest of the lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice. Salt and mix well and then leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes (which is the time it will take you to make the risotto). If needed, add a little more olive oil.
- Make the risotto: slice the leek finely and cook it slowly in olive oil (if you don’t have a high-quality one, use butter because olive oil that isn’t tasting good will destroy the taste of the risotto) for a couple of minutes. Add the rice and keep on cooking and stirring for 2-3 minutes until you are sure the rice grains are properly covered with the fat.
- Begin to add the first couple a ladles of stock and then go on cooking, stirring all the time until the rice has absorbed the liquid and it is time to add the next ladle of stock. And this is how you have to go on until the rice is cooked and the risotto is creamy but not runny, adding ladle after ladle, always stirring.
- When the risotto is ready, add the cheese that you have grated, the stronger flavour of the cheese, the less you add – use your taste buds!
- Serve with the mushrooms on top, drizzle the left-over herb oil and top with flakes of pecorino.

Leek Risotto with Herb Marinated Mushrooms and Sardinian Pecorino

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