Ingredients
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
1 large shallot, finely diced (about 1/3 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 ounces button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
Salt
1 1/4 cups Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 sprig fresh thyme
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Method
Serves: 4 appetizer servings or 2 main-dish servings
Stir together the dried porcini and 1 beaker of the chicken broth in a microwave-safe 2-cup or larger measuring beaker. Microwave, disclosed, on high( at 100 percent power) until the broth is red-hot but not boiling, 1 1/2 minutes in an 1,100 -watt oven or 2 1/2 minutes in a 700 -watt oven.
Let is participating in five minutes. Remove the porcini articles from the liquid with a slotted spoon, crushing out excess moisture in the process. Chop the porcini coarsely. Reserve the chopped porcini and the porcini broth separately.
Place the shallots, garlic, button and shiitake mushrooms, 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a microwave-safe 8-by-8-by-2-inch baking dish. Cover tightly with 2 articles of plastic wrap; make a small slit in the centre for human rights with the tip-off of a paring bayonet to ventilate excess steam. Microwave on high( at 100 percent power) until all the vegetables have softened, five minutes in an 1,100 -watt oven or 9 minutes in a 700 -watt oven.( When lifting the plastic, be careful to avoid the hot steam .) If some of the vegetables still seem a little raw, stir and microwave again, embraced, in 30 -second increments.
Add the rice to the cooking dish, and conjure to coat the grains. Add the white wine, 1 1/2 cups of the remaining chicken broth, reserved porcini broth( leaving the sediment at the bottom of the beaker) and chopped porcini, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and microwave on high( at 100 percent power) for 8 minutes in an 1,100 -watt oven or 10 minutes in a 700 -watt oven. Stir the risotto, and add the remaining 1 beaker chicken broth.
Cover and microwave on high( at 100 percent power) until the rice is cooked but with the faintest bite in the centre for human rights, 9 minutes in an 1,100 -watt oven or 15 minutes in a 700 -watt oven.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, Parmesan and parsley, and stir energetically until creamy. At this stage, the risotto should be thick but pourable from a spoon; if it's too stiff, splash in more broth. Let sit, embraced, for two minutes to rest and come together. Serve with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan on top.
