Name: Leek, mushroom and thyme risotto
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 25 gm dried wild mushroom pieces; 1.5 litres hot chicken or vegetable stock (6 cups); 80 ml olive oil (⅓ cup); 120 gm butter, diced; 500 gm portobello mushrooms, thickly sliced; 1 leek (white and pale green parts only), halved and thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 400 gm carnaroli rice (2 cups); 1 tbsp thyme; 125 ml dry white wine (½ cup); 120 gm mascarpone; 50 gm parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve (⅔ cup); Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Few dishes are more comforting than risotto. Leek, mushroom and thyme is a classic combination, and dried wild mushrooms really make this dish sing.

Ingredients

25 gm dried wild mushroom pieces

1.5 litres hot chicken or vegetable stock (6 cups)

80 ml olive oil (⅓ cup)

120 gm butter, diced

500 gm portobello mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 leek (white and pale green parts only), halved and thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

400 gm carnaroli rice (2 cups)

1 tbsp thyme

125 ml dry white wine (½ cup)

120 gm mascarpone

50 gm parmesan, finely grated, plus extra to serve (⅔ cup)

Finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Method

Main

1.Soak dried mushroom pieces in 250ml hot stock in a bowl until soft (8-10 minutes), then pour into remaining stock.

2.Heat 60ml olive oil and 20gm butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until butter foams, add portobello mushrooms and fry until tender and golden brown (2-3 minutes).

3.Heat remaining olive oil and 40gm butter in a wide saucepan over medium heat, add leek and garlic, and sauté until translucent (5-6 minutes). Stir in rice and thyme to coat in oil and lightly toast, then add wine and stir until almost evaporated (1-2 minutes). Add hot stock a ladleful at a time, stirring continuously until stock is absorbed before adding the next, until rice is al dente (15-18 minutes; you may not need all the stock). Season to taste, stir in mascarpone, parmesan, lemon rind, remaining butter and two-thirds of the portobello mushrooms. Serve topped with remaining mushrooms and extra parmesan.

Maxwell Adey Senior Food Editor & Stylist

Maxwell has always been passionate about food. Born into a restaurateur and award-winning produce farming family, he was strongly steered into pursuing a career in advertising after completing his Bachelor of Public Communication at University of Technology, Sydney. After a very short stint, he decided to enrol in Commercial Cookery at TAFE to follow his true passion. Maxwell started out working in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants (Est., Claude’s and Moon Park) which helped further his love of all things culinary and developed his technical ability to cook. Later, he was lured into the magical world of food publishing where he freelanced for ten years for notable Australian commercial and editorial brands. He has also run his own business where he sells his marinated olives, dressings and sauces at food markets and select retailers. He excitingly joins the Gourmet Traveller team to bring his technical and creative expertise in food to the brand.

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Styling by Emma Knowles