Mushroom Risotto

01Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan.

02In another pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and saute them for about 3 minutes. Then add the mushrooms and saute for another 5 minutes. Season the mushrooms with a little bit of salt and pepper. Then add the rice and stir to combine.

03Add the sherry to the pot with the rice and mushrooms. Bring to a boil, and reduce liquid by half, about 3-4 minutes.

04Add the simmering stock to the pot with the mushrooms and risotto, 1/2 cup at a time. Continue stirring as you add the stock. This helps keep the rice from sticking to the edges of the pan. Also stirring sloughs off the starch from the rice, making the creamy sauce you’re looking for in a risotto. Make sure you wait until the stock is almost completely absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup. This process will take about 25 minutes. The rice should be just cooked and slightly chewy.

05As you are stirring in the stock, add in a little bit more sherry. This is optional but oh so good!

06Remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the Mascarpone and Parmesan cheeses until they melt in and season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.