Fungus Among Us - Risotto alla Funghi Porcini

It's that time again..... Risotto!

I came home empty handed after hunting the elusive morel in the higher elevations around Mt. Hood, now that the snow is beginning to melt. Though I did find out, after traipsing around the side of the mountain, that I am still a bit of a "mountain goat" even at 41. Which is encouraging considering my lack of exercise over the last 7 months. I can still jump from fallen log to fallen log without loosing my balance and falling on my keester. Whew!

Sadly though, I had already whet my appetite for a morel risotto. Luckily I still had a package of dried Porcini (King Bolete) in the cupboard, so though I was denied the succulence of the Morel I was still able to indulge in the deliciousness of that Porcini have to offer. (I would go and hunt these in the Coastal Range, but I have no idea where to even begin)

This is really a quick run-down of the risotto making process, for a more in depth look at risotto do's and dont's or Black vs. White Truffles, please check out one of my previous posts - Identity Theft or The Mystic White Truffle

Risotto alla Funghi Porcini

(or Risotto alla Bolete)

4 cups Mushroom Stock
1 oz dried Porcini or 1/2 lb fresh Porcini (Boletus Edulus or the King Bolete)
1 cup Hot Water
2 Tb Olive oil
2 TB unsalted Butter
1 Shallot, minced
1 1/2 cups Arborio Rice
1/2 cup Dry White Wine, room temperature (Chardonnay)
optional - 1 tsp Porcini Powder
Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3 TB Parmigiano-Reggiano (or Pecorino Romano, depending on your preference)
1 1/2 TB unsalted Butter
optional - 1 tsp White Truffle oil (Mine is REALLY strong - You may need as much as 1 TB depending on the brand)

Place the dried Porcini in a small bowl and add enough hot water to cover (about 1 cup); then allow them to soak for 20-30 minutes.

Begin heating your Mushroom stock over low heat.

When the mushrooms are hydrated, squeeze out the excess water.

Dice them fairly finely. (reconstituted porcini don't really shrink when sauteed)

Strain the left over liquid through cheese cloth into the hot mushroom stock.

Melt butter and olive oil in a saute pan.

Add the Shallot and saute until translucent.

Add the diced Porcini and cook about 1 minute longer.

Add the rice and saute for 2 minutes, or until the begins to smell a little nutty.

Pour in the White Wine and stir, allowing the rice to absorb the liquid.

Begin adding stock 1 ladle at a time, stirring until each addition of liquid has been absorbed before adding the next (this will take about 15-18 minutes) and you may not use all the stock.

After your have added 2 ladles full of stock, go ahead and add the porcini powder as well.

When the rice is al dente (or still a little firm in the center) remove from the heat and stir in the butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Cover and let it sit for 3 minutes.

Just before serving, season with Salt and Pepper along with in 1 tsp of the White Truffle oil. (white truffle oil degrades quickly if subjected to high heat, so it is best to use it at the end after the risotto has cooled slightly - If you choose to use black truffle oil, you can add it about 1/2 way through the cooking process as the heat will "bloom" the flavor in the black truffle)

Dish and serve while still hot.

Mangia!!
~~

The Power of Powder; Porcini Powder That Is.

Porcini powder is one of the most significant weapons in your flavor arsenal. But before I get into the advantages of using said powder, let me first explain exactly what it is.

The Porcini Mushrooms (Boletus Edulis) wear many caps (ha ha). For those "pothunters" (Yes, that is what a mushroom hunter is called) in the United States, it is referred to as "The King Bolete" while in England it is called the "Penny Bun". In France it is known as Cèpe de Bordeaux (Cèpe for short). In Croatia, Vrganj. In Denmark, either Karl Johan or spiselig rørhat. In the Netherlands, "eekhoorntjesbrood" which translates as "little squirrels' bread". In Germany it is the "Steinpilz", meaning "stone mushroom", while in Austria it is the "Herrenpilz" being the "gentleman's mushroom".

So many names but all referring to the same delicious "Edible Mushroom" which is what Boletus Edulis means in Latin. (Boletus = Mushroom and Edulis = Eatable or Edible). Oh, and in case you were curious, Porcini means "piglets" in Italian.

Their deep woodsy, nutty flavor is woefully unmatched by the common White Button (champignon) which is a natural mutation of the Cremini (Brown Button, Italian Brown) or Portobello (older cremini). The supply of fresh porcini is a little limited though, due to their resistance to cultivation. As a result, all porcini available on the market have been wild harvested from conifer forests in Europe and North America.

Fear not though, for they are more readily available in dried form. And while they are delicious when soaked in warm water for 15 minutes and added to your favorite Risotto alla Funghi recipe along with the soaking liquid, they have even more strange and mystical powers lurking under the surface. I speak of their abilities in "powder" form. For here is where they can truly shine.

I usually make my own porcini powder, simply because it is expensive, and I am a single guy who can't go through a 12 oz container of Porcini powder in less than 4 months. Yes, once ground, the dried mushrooms will begin loosing flavor power. So it is best to simply grind what you can use in a couple months. I purchase a couple of .5 oz package of dried porcini at the store. This gives me enough powder to make about 6-8 dishes. Well, this is unless I am cooking something particularly mushroom-centric.

In powder form, porcini can do several things for you.....

• Add tremendous amounts of concentrated flavor to a dish without a lot of "bulk" (since they are dehydrated a little goes along way)
• Allow you to sneak in all the flavor and none of the texture, for those who are not fond of "mushrooms".
• They will also help thicken a sauce by simple virtue of their being dehydrated and soaking up water.

Yes, Porcini powder totally rocks when it comes to usefulness in the kitchen. The actual applications are many. What have I actually used it for...?

• I have used it in Risotto alla Funghi for a flavor boost, when all I have had available were button mushrooms.
• Added it to other Savory Mushroom Dishes to increase flavor
  
• Added to meat rubs for an extra kick, especially chicken and pork.
• Thickened Arrabbiata sauce for Stuffed Lumaconi.
• Thickened pan sauces.
• Added it to sautéing vegetables for those who "Hate the texture of Mushrooms".
• Tossed it with bread crumbs before sprinkling on Mac & Cheese.
• Pureed it with butternut squash to make an awesome pizza sauce.
• Sprinkled on just about anything as a finishing touch.
  

The uses are so many I can only scratch the surface. So let me tell you how I make my own porcini powder. Find some dried porcini mushrooms. I have 2 sources, though one is more expensive than the other. This is where it pays to know your mushrooms. The package I buy simply states "Dried Wild White Mushrooms".

To me, that would normally mean wild "White Button" mushrooms or something. But if you look close, it says "100% dried boletus edulis". Yay!!! And the .5 oz pkg was only $1.50. I normally have to pay $2.89 at Cost Plus World Market (Although that is still much less expensive than most places).

Simply place them in a grinding mechanism. Be it a coffee grinder, a mini food processor or, like me, a magic bullet (cause this just seems to work best for me, my coffee grinder doesn't work so well).

Grind them, shaking the container a little, for about 30 seconds and voile!!

Let the dust in the container settle for about 3 minutes before opening or you will be gassed by porcini dust. Depending on how well your grinding mechanism is working, you may need to run the powder through a fine sieve and re-grind any large bits. Then simply move to a container and store. Yes, I even brush out the "blender". This is precious stuff here. ;)

How much too use in a recipe...? Honestly, that is gonna depend on what you are using it for, and how much flavor or thickening power you want. I throw a mere 2 tsp into my Arrabbiata Sauce. I use 1 1/2 TB in a risotto for 4 people. 1 TB in a meat rub. That is the beauty of making your own powder, a 2 dollar investment, for experimentation purposes, instead of a 4 oz bottle 21 bucks. YIKES!!! LOL

So I say to you, grab some dehydrated Porcini/Boletus Edulis/King Boletes and experience Powder Power!!!!

Mangia!!
~~

FYI - I should state this just in case. If you attempt this with dried Morels, please do not sprinkle the uncooked powder on foods. It is safe to do this with Porcini, however Morels should always be cooked, due to a particular protein in the cell walls that should be broken down my heat, before consuming or they may cause gastric upset. Grazie. (Thank you)