Risotto Ticinese with Ceps in Marsala and Cream

There are a few English terms for this fungus (what an unappetising word), boletus, cèpe, porcini mushroom,  apparently even “penny bun”. Whatever it is called, the term “Lord of mushrooms”, is probably the most befitting – and is not a million miles from the German “Herrenpilz”.

When I first mentioned that I was going to write about what I do in my kitchen, a friend emailed to ask if this recipe would be part of the project. So here goes.

What you need

Risotto

• 3-4 tblsp olive oil
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 350 g rice (Carnaroli, Arborio, Vialone; my favourite is Ticinesi Riso Nostrano)
• 50 ml white wine or Marsala mixed with
• 2 sachets of high quality saffron
• 250 ml good quality dryish white wine (See remarks.)
• 1 litre of hot water (depending on the rice)
• sea salt or a veggie stock cube and pepper
• optionally: 2 handfuls of fresh garden peas (which makes this seasonal, sort of…)
• 2 cloves of garlic from the garlic press

Remark: A non-vegetarian option is to include the marrow from two marrow bones.

Ceps in Marsala and Cream

• 25 g dried ceps (making this with fresh ceps is an almost entirely different dish)
• boiling water to cover the ceps
• 1-2 tblsp olive
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 100 ml good quality marsala
• 1 stock cube or equivalent (I use, non-vegetarian but tasty, venison stock)
• 200 ml fresh cream
• 2 cloves of garlic from the garlic press
• fresh herbs chopped (lovage or flat-leaved parsley)

What you do

1. In a heavy pan, heat up the olive oil and add the onions, stirring until glassy (if you use marrow bone, add it at this stage, chopped but use less olive oil).
2. Add the rice and stir until it too looks glassy.
3. Pour in the white wine and allow to simmer briefly.
4. Add the saffron and the stock cube, then top up with hot water (this speeds things up).
5. Keep topping up with hot water until the rice is done. (See remarks.)
6. Shortly before this press in the garlic and add the peas if you use the optional ingredients.
7. Covered with a heavy lid, this can sit for a while if you didn’t get the cep done at the same time…

1. Soak the ceps in boiling water for about 15 to 20 minutes, then squeeze them out and strain the water if the ceps were sandy, keeping it!
2. In a frying pan, heat up the olive oil. Add the onions and stir until they are on the point of turning golden.
3. Add the ceps and fry for about 1 to 2 minutes, seasoning with a bit of pepper. (If using instant stock, add it now too.)
4. Add the marsala and reduce to about half, then add the strained ceps water and reduce again to about half.
5. Pour in the cream and allow to bubble vigorously, reducing the sauce and thickening it at the same time. (See remarks.)
6. Add the garlic and the finely chopped herbs. 

 

Remarks

About cooking wines: I make it a point never to use a wine or a fortified wine like Madeira, Marsala or Port that I wouldn’t have my family or my guests drink. It needn’t be the stuff that costs an average salary of an ambitious investment banker, but it should be of good quality. In my experience the difference between something to keep the ribs apart and a good meal is that all the ingredients are of as good quality as can be got hold of (and paid for).

There are two very different approaches cooking a risotto depending on whether you want an almost liquid, creamy risotto or a relatively dry, lighter one. For this dish I prefer the latter, which you can achieve with the Riso Nostrano from Ticino, the variety I use when I can get it because there is a creamy sauce that complements the relatively dry risotto rather nicely. However, there are also times when I really prefer a very creamy risotto. This is easily achieved but a little bit more work: keep stirring the rice and add the liquid bit by bit. This type works wonderfulyl with fresh ceps, which I very simply cut into to risotto relatively early on. Adding a lump of mild blue cheese and/or some cream in the last 10 minutes is another way of getting this creamy type of risotto just right!

Next, thickening sauces is a topic I have already covered. Briefly and quoting the passage: cream added at the end of the cooking process, bit by bit while the sauce bubbles vigorously, results in a nicely creamy sauce without the flour flavour. In addition you can very easily check how liquid or how thick the sauce is going to be. 

One last remark: If the sauce is put through the food processor, a very creamy, rich crostini topping results, one that needs eating relatively quickly and usually is...