Champignons Risotto

This is one of my favorite dishes. The rich taste, the creamy texture, the ingredients used, easy and quick to make.. It is one of those dishes you can make for your own delight, or as gratitude to your guests. An all times dish, a classic, a full enjoy: Champignons Risotto!

I must say that I didn't see any recipe for this before I made it the first time. I knew there is a world known recipe, but I just thought on experimenting a bit, and the result was great. So this recipe, step by step is nothing I've read or seen made in other recipes. To be dead honest, I have not read any other, as I am quite happy with my own result. I hope you enjoy it as well!

Ingredients: (3 servings)

• 125 gr / 3/4 cup White rice
• 300 gr / 2 1/2 cups Sliced Champignons (white or brown, your choice)
• 1/2 Glass White Wine (Dry, Chardonnay for example)
• 4 Tbsp Shredded or grounded gratin cheese (Gouda for example)
• 4 Tbsp Sour Cream
• 3 cups of hot or boiling Water.
• 1 small Onion, sliced or diced
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Leek
• 2 Tbsp Chopped Parsley
• Salt, pepper, a bit of garlic, nutmeg for seasoning.

Preparation:

In a large cooking pan, at medium fire, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil, add the chopped onions and leek. Mix and cook until onion is begining to get transparent. Then add the sliced Champignons, mix and let it cook for a minute or 2. Then stir the mix and cover with a lid. Rest to cook for around 3 to 5 minutes. When the mushrooms, onion and leek are beginning to get covered with the cooking water, remove the mushrooms mix to a bowl keeping the liquid in the pan, and reserve.

Add the rice to the remaining liquid in the pan. Add 1 cup of water. Stir the rice constantly in paced and rhythmic movement (for best result, draw an 8 with your cooking spoon). Keep moving for around 5 minutes. When the water begins to vaporize and the rice begins to absorb and begins to look creamy, add another cup of water. Keep the movement in the rice.

The movement of the rice helps to release the starch, which is what makes it creamy. After same procedure as before, add the 3rd cup of water, stir and cover with the lid. After around 5 minutes, when the rice is even more creamy, and maybe already sticky, add the half glass of wine. Stir, cover again and reduce the heat to minimum.

Let cook for a minute. Add the mushrooms then season and mix well. Add the sour cream and mix well.

Then add the shredded cheese and mix (don't you love how the fine threads of the melted cheese covers the rice when stirring?). Remove from the heat and add the chopped Parsley.

Serve hot and enjoy!