MOREL AND SPRING PEA RISOTTO
Ingredients:
4 c. fish stock or clam juice
½ c. dry white wine or fume blanc
1 c. mirepoix* – chopped onion, carrots and celery, but at least 50% onion
1 ½ c. Arborio rice
1 T. minced garlic
½ T. fresh thyme
1 T. Italian flat leaf parsley
½ c. Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Parmesan cheese
2 c. white morel mushrooms
1 c. fresh – not frozen—English peas/spring peas
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Pour stock into a saucepan and bring to a boil, then simmer. Heat butter in a heavy, medium saucepan over medium heat and sauté mirepoix about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook briefly. Add rice and stir until grains look pearly white, about three minutes. Add wine and cook until pan is nearly dry. Adjust heat so rice cooks at a slow simmer. Add ½ cup of stock, stirring constantly, and cook until the pan is nearly dry again. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add another ½ cup of stock and continue to stir and cook, adding stock as necessary until rice is three-fourths cooked, about 15 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and spring peas. Continue to cook until rice is al dente (“to the tooth”) about four minutes longer. Remove from heat and stir in the fresh thyme, parsley and parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning.
*Mirepoix: A mirepoix is a mixture of diced vegetables -- carrots, onions and celery -- (sometimes with ham or bacon), usually sautéed in butter.
Said to have been created in the 18th century by the chef of the Duc de Levis-Mirepoix in France, mirepoix is used to flavor stews, soups, stocks, etc. The usual mixture is 50% onions, and 25% each carrots and celery.