Mushroom Risotto with Parmigiano Reggiano and Fresh Italian Parsley

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INGREDIENTSRisotto1 c Arborio rice2 Tbsp butter, divided1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil1/2 c dry white wine4 c beef stock, warmed up (I use Knorr bouillon cubes)1/2 c freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepperKosher salt, as neededMushrooms8 oz baby portobello (aka baby bellas, cremini, etc), thinly sliced to 1/4"1 Tbsp butter1 to 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil1/4 c shallots or yellow onion, chopped1 Tbsp minced garlic1 Tbsp soy sauce1 tsp thyme and/or sage1/2 tsp kosher salt1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper1/2 c roughly chopped flat leaf Italian parsley

INSTRUCTIONSBasic RisottoHeat 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepan until you hear a light sizzle and the butter begins to bubble.Add 1 c of Arborio rice and stir evenly and thoroughly.After a minute or so – when the rice gets glossy (not brown), add 1/2 c of dry white wine and keep stirring. Once the wine starts to bubble, it will be absorbed quickly (within about 2 minutes), so make sure you have 4 c of beef stock warmed and ready. Add one ladle of stock at a time and stir. Adjust the heat so it’s barely boiling. Just a couple bubbles here and there.Once the liquid is absorbed, add another ladle of stock, stir, and repeat. Watch, smell, and taste. From adding the first ladle to the last, it takes about 25 minutes from start to finish. Taste, but be careful with adding salt too soon. The stock will add additional salt, and so will the salty Parmigiano Reggiano. When the rice is done, add (at least) 1 Tbsp butter and (at least) 1/2 c of Parmigiano Reggiano (the good stuff). Stir for about 2 minutes and add a couple cranks of black pepper (1/4 tsp).Mushroom RisottoHeat 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 c chopped shallots and cook for 2 minutes until translucent.Add 8 oz sliced mushrooms, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 tsp dry thyme and/or sage, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, and season with 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Stir occasionally and cook (simmer) for about 8 minutes. Once the mushrooms have absorbed all the liquids, taste them and add more salt if necessary. Remove from the saucepan and set aside. Next, cook the risotto as outlined in the Basic Risotto recipe above.Once the risotto is ready in its creamy deliciousness, put the cooked mushrooms back in the risotto and stir it all together.Sprinkle with some roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley and pour yourself a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. You deserve it.