As blewits lend themselves (and really need) a longer cooking process they are ideal for using in a risotto. For a more complex flavour I bulked up with some re-hydrated autumnal fungi – however this isn’t essential for the dish. Please note that I haven’t used arborio rice but a mixture of long grain, red & wild. This means the cooking time is longer however I think it looks more aesthetically pleasing and is more nutritionally rounded. To be truly hipster a combination of pearl barley and quinoa would knock this out the park - something to be tested in the future for sure!
Wild Rice & Blewit Risotto Serves 2
Ingredients
150g Wild Rice
100g Mushrooms (if you need to use dried, reconstitute first)
1 Shallot
1 Clove Garlic
25g Butter
200ml White Wine
500ml Stock (I used chicken and cep powder)
20g Parmesan (or other grated hard cheese)
Salt & Pepper
Method
Slice the mushrooms, finely dice the shallot and crush the garlic.
Melt half of the butter in a pan (I used a cast iron skillet as it provides more continuous heat) and gently cook the mushrooms.
Add the onion, garlic and stir through.
Mix in the rice and cook for a further 30 seconds.
Add half of the wine and raise to simmer.
Pour in a little of the stock and cook until absorbed.
Alternate stock and wine until the rice is cooked (al dente). Add more stock if required.
Remove from heat.
Stir through remaining butter and cheese.
Season to taste and serve with parmesan shavings to garnish.
This is a wonderfully simple dish and is packed so full of flavour that it is more than worth the time investment.
Note: Wood Blewits (Lepista nuda) are not difficult to identify; partly due to their very distinctive smell, colour & spore print; however it is always best to check in a couple of decent books. If you’ve not been out with a professional that’s definitely a must on the road to the wild food!
Identification: Wood Blewit, Lepista nuda