Our new food columnist, Sofia Gallo, shares her favourite cosy recipes for autumn.

This week, we’re whipping up this sumptuous risotto – perfect for the darker evenings…

Porcini mushrooms risotto with parmesan cheese crisp

Serves 2

Prep: 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

• 150g carnaroli or arborio rice
• 150g frozen mixed mushrooms
• ½ shallot – diced
• 30g unsalted butter plus 30g more to ‘mantecare’ the risotto
• 500 ml stock of your choice – or reserved stock from the dried mushrooms
• Fresh chopped parsley
• Grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Method: 

1. Start by toasting your rice. In a cold frying pan, add your rice in one layer and let this toast lightly on a medium heat, moving the pan from time to time to ensure the grains are fully toasted. This passage is crucial as the rice will start releasing the lovely starch needed for a creamy risotto. 
2. Once the rice is ready, set aside and start building your risotto flavours. In the same pan, add 30 g of unsalted butter and the diced shallot. Let this soften, ensuring it doesn’t colour, but only turns transparent. Add your mushrooms still frozen and let cook until softened. When these have softened, add back your rice and mix well to ensure both are well combined. 
3. Now it’s time to listen to your rice. We will be using the absorption method technique. From this stage on, start by adding the stock little at the time, and lower the heat to a medium to low. Do not stir the rice, but from time to time rotate the pan to ensure there is enough moisture in the pan. You will notice the rice absorbing the liquid but still keeping separated. The sound will go from bubbling to crackling when more stock is required.  Continue until the rice is cooked al dente. This won’t take more than 18 minutes.
4. Once the rice is cooked, for the mantecatura, take the pan off the heat and add the extra butter and grated Parmesan. Season to taste and serve adding freshly chopped flat leaf parsley and more grated Parmesan.

Tips: 

Swap frozen mushrooms for dried porcini and use the stock made out of the liquid from rehydrating your mushrooms.

For an extra crunch, why not add a parmesan crisp?

Gently heat a frying pan and place a tbsp of grated Parmesan in the centre.

As it melts, this will slightly expand. Lift with a spatula and place on kitchen towel to drain.

It will crisp up as it cools down.

If using white wine, add ½ after the rice has been added to the mushrooms, burn the alcohol off and continue from point three.

Sofia Gallo’s cooking journey has taken her from her family kitchen to becoming a multi-award-winning chef – reaching the quarterfinals of MasterChef UK 2021, where her signature dish earned her the iconic apron, and high praise from the judges. For more from Sofia, visit www.lamiacucina.co.uk or follow her on Instagram @in_cucinacon_sofia.

READ MORE FROM SOFIA GALLO:

• Hello, Autumn! Getting Utterly Cosy with the Best of British Food