Mushroom risotto with chorizo crunch

Rice has been known in Italy since the Renaissance. The famous varieties suitable for risotto, Arborio, Vialone and Carnaroli, are still traditionally grown in the Po Valley today. The basic recipe is usually always the same, as the preparation of a risotto always begins with the preparation of the stock required to cook the round grain rice, with butter, finely chopped white shallots and a good sip of white wine or frizzante. In keeping with the autumn season, we add two kinds of mushrooms: dried porcini mushrooms, whose aroma harmonizes perfectly with that of smoked mushrooms. A peppy surprise is our vegetarian topping with crunch, whose spicy smoked paprika note goes perfectly with the earthy taste of the mushrooms.

The day before: Prepare the chorizo crunch. To do this, coarsely crush the aperitif almonds in a mortar, and finely chop the rosemary and thyme. Finely chop the garlic, and set aside the salt and smoked paprika. Then heat the rum with the muscovado sugar and butter until the sugar and butter have melted. Add all the prepared ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, mix thoroughly, and let the mixture sit in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, spoon the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for about 10 minutes at 180 °C.

For the mushroom stock, bring the specified amount of water to a boil. Place the dried porcini mushrooms and smoked button mushrooms in a large bowl, pour the boiling water over them, and let them soak for about 15 minutes. Drain the soaking liquid, reserving it, and pour it into a saucepan; keep it warm over low heat. If necessary, cut the mushrooms into smaller pieces and set aside. Add the miso paste and vegetable broth to the liquid in the pot and stir all the ingredients well.

For the risotto, finely dice the shallots and sauté them in 40 g of butter. Add the risotto rice and stir until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine and let it reduce, stirring regularly. Then add the chopped mushrooms and pour in about half of the still-hot mushroom stock so that the rice in the pot is completely covered. Make sure the liquid is simmering gently at all times.

Over the next 18–22 minutes, keep adding a ladleful of the hot mushroom stock at a time, stirring constantly, until the rice is cooked al dente and the sauce has a creamy consistency.

At the end of the cooking time, remove the risotto from the heat and let it rest for a moment. Finally, fold in the garlic, 40 g butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and freshly grated Parmesan. Optionally, season with a little smoked paprika and serve immediately. Garnish with chorizo crunch to taste.