Mouthwatering Gourmet Dishes

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Mushroom and Black Garlic Risotto

View the story "Mushroom And Black Garlic Risotto" on StorifyMushroom And Black Garlic RisottoStorified by Arya McLean· Sun, Mar 24 2013 21:56:46Gourmandia

Black garlic is a type of fermented garlic with a sweet and savory flavor used as an ingredient in Asian cuisine. In this recipe, black garlic together with fresh mushrooms is used to flavor risotto, a rich and creamy Italian rice dish. The molasses-like richness and complex flavor of black garlic makes the risotto an unforgettable experience.

Black garlic also has a wonderful soft texture that is like jelly and melts in the mouth like dried fruit. It is made by fermenting whole garlic bulbs at high temperatures, creating sweet and tangy black garlic with hits of tamarind and balsamic vinegar. This ingredient can be found in the Asian section of the supermarket. It is becoming increasingly popular in the United States, used in gourmet cooking and haute cuisine.

To make a tender and creamy risotto, you need to use rice especially meant for making risotto. Some of the popular kinds of rice used to make risotto include Carnaroli, Vialone, Nano, Veneto, Arborio, and Baldo. These are short-grained rice with high starch content that will not turn to mush in the creaming process. Cooking a good mushroom and black garlic risotto requires attention and patience; you can’t just leave the rice to cook like you would ordinarily do when cooking regular rice.

When adding stock to the risotto, the stock should be gently simmering. Adding cold stock can turn the rice gluey because it lowers the temperature as it cooks. Add stock one a ladleful at a time, allowing the rice to absorb it carefully. This will release the starch and make the risotto nice and creamy. The raw rice has to be cooked in butter and oil until they turn glassy and the outer starch layer of the rice is softened. Use a cast-iron enameled pot or earthenware, which are designed for long and slow cooking times.

Mushroom Risotto Recipe - Laura Vitale - Laura in the Kitchen Episode 466lauravitaleskitchen

Ingredients

4 ½ cups vegetable stock
10 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion (minced)
4 black garlic cloves (peeled and finely sliced)
2 cups risotto rice
1 small glass white wine
8 oz. fresh mushrooms (sliced)
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
Fresh parsley (chopped)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation Instructions

1. Pour the stock into a large skillet and bring to a simmer.

2. For the mushroom base, in a separate skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium low until the mushrooms are tender.

3. In a large pan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the black garlic slices. Stir in the rice. Add the wine. Stirring constantly, reduce until all the liquid is evaporated.

4. Scoop up some stock in a ladle and add this to the rice mixture. Cook and stir constantly until the stock is evaporated, then add another ladle of stock. Continue cooking and stirring and adding stock until the rice is soft but firm.

5. Add the mushroom base to the rice mixture. Stir in the Parmesan, 2 tablespoons butter, and the mascarpone. Season with salt and pepper and serve with parsley sprinkled over the top.