Erica De Mane

Risotto da Romano, by Sonja DiMeola.

Recipe below: Risotto with Mushrooms, Peas, Thyme, and Saffron

I think it’s now six weeks since I left my city for upstate New York. The chipmunks I’ve been spying on from my kitchen window no longer look identical. I’m not sure what kind of accomplishment that perception is, exactly, but I’ve noticed that some are wider around the butt, some have longer stripes down their backs, some seem a rustier red. I’ve come to love the little guys, with their jerky movements and their skinny tails sticking straight up when they zoom by. And speaking of critters, I’ve been keeping an eye on Hudson Valley in Pictures, a Facebook group where locals post nature shots. I’m now envious of all the people who have foxes regularly hanging out in their backyards. One fox named Ginger is especially lovely, and now she’s got babies. Gray babies, soon to be red and fluffy just like her. I looked up how to attract foxes and have subsequently been flinging raw chopped meat around my yard. So far, no action that I can detect, but I’m not giving up. It’s boring up here, and these guys are gorgeous.

Ginger of the Hudson Valley.

I’ve also been looking for morels, so far also with no luck. Maybe it’s a little early.  I’ll keep you posted on my progress.

My longing for morels got me thinking about mushroom risotto, a fabulous thing when made with wild mushrooms, but still semi-fabulous with plain old supermarket ones. I had a bag of fancy Vialone Nano rice I ordered from Gustiamo.com, so I set out to make my first risotto of this quarantine season. No morels in the markets up here, but I did find shiitake, oysters, and cremini. Those with a bag of frozen peas, some homemade chicken stock, and fine Spanish saffron made for a memorable risotto. I like my risotto on the loose side, not too glopped up with cheese. This one was that way. I find that these days there’s nothing like looking forward to a fine meal to broaden one’s boxed-in horizons. Try this with a few glasses of Provençal rosé. You won’t be disappointed.

Risotto with Mushrooms, Peas, Thyme, and Saffron

(Serves 4 or 5)

A generous pinch of saffron threads
Extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large sweet onion, such as a Vidalia, cut into small dice
5 or 6 large thyme sprigs, the leaves chopped, plus a little extra for garnish
1 long rosemary sprig, the leaves chopped
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 cups Vialone Nano or Carnaroli rice
3 cups chopped fresh mushrooms—a mix of wild and cultivated is good, but whatever you can get
Salt
Black pepper
½ cup dry vermouth
5 cups homemade chicken broth
1 cup peas, fresh or frozen
The grated zest from 1 lemon
A chunk of Piave or grana Padano cheese

If your saffron is moist (and it should be somewhat moist if it’s fresh), place it in a small pan and dry it for a few seconds over a very low flame. Then put it in a mortar and give it a gentle grind. It should break down into a powder. Add a few tablespoons of hot water to the saffron, so it can release its full flavor. If you just throw saffron threads into a dish whole, they won’t break down enough to reveal their full blossomy beauty, and the stuff is expensive, so you want to get your money’s worth.

Pour the chicken broth into a saucepan, and if you have any mushroom trimmings, add them. Bring this to a boil, and then turn the heat down and keep it at a simmer.

The best pan for risotto is one that’s wide and has straight, not too high sides. That will provide enough room for good evaporation and even cooking. So find a pan somewhat like that, and get it hot over medium heat. Add half the butter and a drizzle of olive oil. When it’s hot, add the onion, and let it soften for a minute or so. Add the herbs, the nutmeg, and the rice, and sauté a minute or so to coat the rice well. This will help it cook up separate and glossy. Add the mushrooms, and sauté until they’ve softened and are giving off some liquid, about 2 or 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and black pepper. Add the vermouth, and let it bubble for a few seconds.

Add a big ladle of the hot chicken broth, and give the rice a few good stirs. You needn’t go crazy stirring risotto constantly, so don’t get nervous here. The main thing is not to let it stick to the bottom of the pan, so just test it every so often with a few good stirs. When the rice looks almost dry, add more broth, and stir a few more times. Keep the rice at a good constant lively bubble and you’ll be in good shape. Add the saffron water, and stir it in. Keep adding broth as needed until the rice is just tender but still has a little bite. Add the peas and the lemon zest, stirring them in. Add a little more broth, stirring until the peas are tender and the consistency of the risotto is a little creamy. Add hot water if you run out of broth. In my experience, this whole process takes about 17 minutes.

Take the risotto off the heat, and add the rest of the butter and about 2 tablespoons of grated Piave or grana Padano, stirring it in. Add another small ladle of broth or water to ensure a loose, creamy consistency. Add a little more black pepper, and give it a final stir. Ladle the risotto into warmed serving bowls, garnish with the extra thyme, and serve right away, bringing the rest of the cheese to the table.