Gloriously Golden Chanterelle Risotto

It has been quite some time that I have been meaning to post delicious mushroom recipes, but as with all things, time has gotten carried away and I lost track of it.  Before I knew it, a whole year had passed, I now owned a small business and I still never had written those mushroom recipes I was so excited to share late last year.

The fall has come in swiftly and gracefully at the same time and with the rains, come the mushrooms.  Refer to my earlier blog post in The Daily Bite about good references for foraging.  

​Golden chanterelles have a delicate apricot scented glorious flavor that is at once reminiscent of summer fruits and of earthy, deep green forests.  They hide under mossy cover as little orange jewels to be treasure hunted and savored by us forest nymphs out looking for a meal.   

One of my (many) favorite ways to use chanterelles is to use them to enhance the flavor of a classic risotto.

Risotto is essentially a rice dish that is cooked in stock until it reaches an unctuous and creamy consistency.  Classic risotto uses Arborio or Carnaroli rice, athough some of my alternate favorite grains to use are barley and quinoa.

The method is the same for all three grains.

Golden Chanterelle Risotto
Makes enough for 4 people

1 lb fresh golden chanterelles, chopped
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 small onion, finely diced
2 cup Arborio/Carnaroli rice (or barley/quinoa) 
1/4 cup white wine
8 cups salty stock (this can be vegetable or chicken depending on your tastes)
1 small knob of butter
2 Tablespoons of cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (other types of cheese can be substituted)
zest and juice of 1 lemon

Method

1.  Heat the stock on the stove top and keep hot while making the risotto.
2.  Heat a heavy bottomed pot on medium-high heat.  
3.  Add the chopped mushrooms and saute them, with no oil, until the water in the chanterelles has all but evaporated.  
4.  Add the oil and the onions and saute until the onions are translucent.
5.  Add the rice/grain and saute gently for 1-2 minutes.
6. Add the white wine and reduce until dry.
7. Take two ladles of the hot, simmering, salty stock and add to the risotto pot.
8. Turn the heat down so that the pot sits at a low simmer and allow the liquid to get absorbed.
9.  As the rice absorbs the liquid, and starts to look dry, add one more ladle of stock. 
10.  Again, simmer it down until it starts to look like it needs more liquid. 
11.  Continue in this way until the rice is tender.
12.  When the rice is tender, add two final ladles of stock, the butter, cream, cheese and lemon.  Most of the stock should be used up by this point.
13.  Mix well, cover the pot and let sit for about 5-10 minutes.
14.  Serve garnished with some fresh herbs, more cheese or some freshly sauteed mushrooms perhaps?

---