Morel, Squash and Spot Prawn Risotto

Instructions

INGREDIENTS

4 Tbsp olive oil
¼ cup butter
5 cups morel mushrooms, sliced into rings
18 large spot prawn tails, peeled
6–8 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1¼ cup Carnaroli or Arborio rice*
1 cup butternut squash, diced into 1 centimetre cubes
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups grated Parmesan
2 Tbsp cream, lightly whipped
7 Tbsp butter, cold, diced
3 Tbsp hazelnuts, toasted and crushed
¼ lemon, juiced
¼ cup chopped chives
pinch of salt and pepper

METHOD

Heat 2 Tbsp of the oil and 2 Tbsp of the butter in a large skillet or a cast iron pan over medium to high heat. When the butter has melted and starts to foam, add the mushrooms. Depending on your pan, you may have to cook in batches. Stir the mushrooms until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, adding a little more oil and/or butter if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Set aside.

Using the same pan on medium heat, add your diced squash and a few more Tbsp of oil. Season with salt. Cook until golden brown for 2–3 minutes. Set aside.

Heat the stock to a simmer in a medium-sized pot, then lower the heat just enough to keep it hot.

Heat 2 Tbsp of butter and the remaining oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.

When the butter has melted, add the onion and sweat for 2 minutes, until slightly translucent. Add the rice and a pinch of salt, and stir with a wooden spoon so that the grains are coated with the oil and melted butter. Deglaze the pot with the wine and reduce until all the liquid has evaporated.

Add a ladle of the hot chicken stock to the rice and stir until the liquid is fully absorbed. When the rice appears almost dry, add another ladleful of stock and repeat the process. It’s important to stir constantly—especially while the stock gets absorbed, to prevent scorching—and to add the next ladleful as soon as the rice is almost dry.

Continue adding the stock one ladle at a time until the grains are tender but still firm to the bite without being crunchy, about 16–18 minutes. If you run out of stock, you can finish the cooking with hot water.

Add the mushrooms, squash and prawns and stir in half the grated Parmesan, the remaining butter and all of the lightly whipped cream, lemon juice and chives. Season with salt if required.

Place a generous ladleful of risotto in each serving bowl. Garnish with a few leaves of sorel or arugula and crushed toasted hazelnuts.

*Note on the rice: use Arborio or Carnaroli rice. Carnaroli is the preferred risotto rice in most regions of Italy. It’s said to produce the creamiest risotto, yet it’s also more resistant to overcooking than Arborio.