Chanterelle Risotto

We are fortunate enough to have had our friend pick and deliver another bunch of Chanterelles the other day! For this recipe, we are borrowing from some of the flavour ideas suggested by one of our favourite blogs, Heat n’ Eat (scroll down the right side of their page for Google Translate if you don’t read German). Thus, unlike in our prior adventures into the world of Chanterelles, we are adding bacon, peas, and shallots to the mix (although if you skip the bacon, you can easily convert this into a vegetarian entree).

As for the Risotto part, we picked it to honor Swiss National Day (aka Schweizer Bundesfeiertag and Fête Nationale Suisse), which falls on August 1. We’ve seen many risottos on menus in our past travels, and so we figured we’d just go for it today. Since this is a carb, veggies, and a protein (if using bacon) all in one, we didn’t serve it with anything…but a simple side salad would make a natural pairing.

Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Arborio Rice
• 2 Cups Vegetable Stock
• 2-3 Cups of Water
• Chanterelles
• Peas (we used frozen)
• Shallot
• Butter
• Garlic
• Parmesan Cheese
• Optional: A few strips of bacon

Method:

• Pour your vegetable stock and water into a pot, and begin to bring it to a simmer.
• Prep your veggies:
  • Dice your shallot and garlic and set aside together.
  • Wash and cut your chanterelles in quarters
  • Pour your peas into a bowl
  • Optional: Slice your bacon into thin strips.
• Heat some butter in a large pan with tall sides. When the butter is hot, add your bacon, onions, and shallots. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon starts to brown, and your shallots/garlic begin to caramelize.
• Add your peas, and sautee for a few minutes.
• Add your chanterelles, and sautee for a few more minutes.
• Pour your dry rice into the pan, and stir to combine. Allow to cook for another minute or two.
• Turn the heat down to low, and pour in about 1 cup of your simmering veggie stock/water combination. Allow everything to simmer together until the water is all absorbed/evaporated.
• Continue to do this one cup at a time until all of your simmering liquid is fully absorbed. By this point, your risotto should be creamy and is just about done.
• Stir in your Parmesan Cheese.
• Plate, devour, and enjoy!