Chanterelle risotto
Chanterelles are milder than porcini, so I did not want to bury their flavour under too many additions. I leave some whole so you can really taste them, while blending the rest into a creamy, intensely mushroom-flavoured base for the rice.
There are two ways to take this risotto. Thyme gives a gentler, earthier result; rosemary makes it more assertive and herbal. In either version, the important thing is for the chanterelles to remain the main flavour, not just an addition to the rice.
Method
Clean the chanterelles thoroughly. Cut larger ones; leave smaller ones whole.
Divide the mushrooms into roughly two halves.
Heat olive oil in a frying pan. Add a lightly crushed garlic clove and your chosen herb—thyme or a small sprig of rosemary.
After a moment, add the chanterelles and fry over fairly high heat until the excess water has evaporated and they begin to brown lightly.
Remove the garlic and woody herb stalks.
Transfer half the chanterelles to a tall container. Add a little hot water or stock and blend into a smooth, intense mushroom cream.
Set aside the other half of the chanterelles. They will return to the risotto near the end.
Heat a little olive oil in a wide saucepan. Add the finely chopped shallot and fry gently until soft but not browned.
Add the rice and toast for about 1–2 minutes, stirring until the grains become slightly translucent.
Pour in the white wine and let it almost completely evaporate.
Begin adding hot water or stock gradually, one ladle at a time. Add the next ladle only when the previous one has almost been absorbed.
About halfway through cooking, add the blended chanterelles. Stir thoroughly.
Near the end, add the remaining whole chanterelles.
When the rice is al dente, remove the saucepan from the heat.
Add Parmigiano Reggiano and mix energetically until the risotto becomes creamy and flowing.
Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Serving
Serve immediately.
It is worth keeping some of the prettiest whole chanterelles on top. Add a few fresh thyme leaves or very finely chopped rosemary, depending on the herb used while frying.
Risotto should be creamy and spread gently across the plate, rather than sitting in a firm mound.