Risotto is considered by many as a noble dish, deeply rooted in Italian history and said to have been cultivated since the Middle Ages.
The word 'risotto' stems from the Italian word 'riso', meaning rice, and every region in Italy has its own variation of the dish.
The best thing is, this elegant dish can become your camping staple. Risotto is built on simple core components: arborio rice, stock, onions, butter, wine and parmesan cheese. To keep with the simplicity theme, here we're just adding mushrooms and thyme into the mix.
Buon appetito!
Mushie Risotto
Preparation time: Approx. 10 minutes
Cooking time: Approx. 15 minutes
Serves 2 people
Ingredients:
1½ cup arborio rice
½ cup mushroom mix (porcini, shitake and portobello)
1 knob of butter
Olive oil
1 chicken stock cube
1 glass of dry white wine
¼ cup diced onions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of water
½ teaspoon of salt
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Method:
Blanche the mushroom mix for 20 minutes in boiling water, drain and set to one side
Add the chicken stock and thyme to simmer in hot water in a separate small pot
In your camp stove, sauté the onion, garlic, butter and olive oil on moderate heat for a few minutes until the onions become soft and translucent
Add 1 cup of the chicken stock into the mixture and stir
Stir every so often until almost all the liquid is absorbed and then keeping adding stock, otherwise the rice will stick to the pan
The rice should be al dente – slightly firm with some resistance when you bite into it and chew. The overall dish should have a creamy consistency from the starch.
WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT ADD CREAM!
Add wine when the rice has absorbed the oil
Add the mushroom mix and stir in
Season to taste
Remove from the heat and sprinkle with parmesan cheese – enjoy!
Tip: Decant olive oil and wine into smaller plastic bottles so they'll travel safer when you're on the road.