Recipe: Black Truffle Risotto
Our black English truffles are sourced from woodlands in Somerset by truffle-hunting dogs. Truffles are an underground fungus that grow among the roots of trees, including poplar, beech, and oak. They have a deep, nutty, caramel flavour, which pairs well with eggs and creamy pasta dishes, elevating their taste.
The crucial element with risotto is the stock base, so you need to make sure that the stock has a strong flavour – reduce down if required until the flavour is concentrated.
Recipe courtesy of Mark Hix
Ingredients
For the stock
- 1 medium onion, peeled, halved and roughly chopped
- 1 small leek, roughly chopped and washed
- 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
- 30ml vegetable oil
- 300g button mushrooms, washed and roughly chopped
- A couple sprigs of thyme
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1.5ltr vegetable stock
For the risotto
- 250g carnaroli rice
- 60g butter
- 70-80 g fresh black truffles
- Salt and freshly ground white pepper
Method
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STEP 1
First make the stock. Gently cook the onion, leek and garlic in the vegetable oil without colouring, until soft. Once soft add the remainder of the stock ingredients.
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STEP 2
Bring to the boil and then simmer gently for an hour, skimming occasionally.
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STEP 3
Strain through a fine meshed sieve and keep hot if using straight away. The stock should be fairly strong in flavour, if not reduce it until the flavour is concentrated.
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STEP 4
To make the risotto, take a thick bottomed pan and add the butter to the pan until it has melted. Then add the rice and stir for a minute on a low heat with a wooden spoon.
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STEP 5
Gradually add the stock a little at a time, stirring constantly. Make sure that each addition of stock has been fully absorbed by the rice before adding more. Season with salt and pepper.
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STEP 6
When the rice is almost cooked add the butter, check the seasoning and correct if necessary. The risotto should be of a moist consistency, not too stodgy.
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STEP 7
Meanwhile, wash the truffle and brush any soil away with a small brush if necessary.
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STEP 7
Spoon the risotto on to plates, grate the truffle directly on top and serve.