I asked Ben Triola, Executive Chef at The Chloe, to share his recipe for Mushroom Risotto, a stellar vegetarian dish with unexpected flavors and textures that he just added to his outstanding new menu. This combination feels right on a cold day.
Garlic Cashew Crunch
1 cup crispy fried garlic chips (available at Hong Kong Market)
2 cups olive oil
1.5 cup raw lightly chopped cashews
Kosher salt to taste
Add the garlic chips and the olive oil to a sealed container. Allow to infuse for 8 hours or overnight. Strain the chips from the olive oil. Set the chips aside.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepot over medium heat for five minutes. Add the cashews and fry until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Add the reserved garlic chips to the cashew/oil mixture. Add salt to taste. Set aside.
Gremolata
1/2 flat parsley leaves, chopped
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons grated parmesan
Combine all ingredients. Set aside.
Mushroom-Infused stock
2 quarts high quality, store-bought vegetable stock, such as Kitchen Basics brand
Trimmings from mushrooms (see risotto recipe)
Combine the stock and the mushroom trimmings in a stockpot. Bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and continue simmering for 40 minutes to infuse the stock with the mushroom flavor. Cool and strain. Discard solids. Return the strained stock to the lowest heat.
Roasted Maitake
2 clusters of Maitake mushrooms, quartered, reserve trimmings
Dash of olive oil
Kosher salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Toss the mushrooms in the olive oil. Roast the mushrooms until caramelized, 12-15 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Risotto
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups arborio rice
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large onion finely diced
1 cup whole raw cashews
1 cup chopped Maitake mushrooms (available at the Hong Kong Market), trimmings reserved
1 cup dry white wine
2 quarts of mushroom-infused stock (method above)
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Kosher salt or mushroom bouillon granules, to taste
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until it smells fragrant and nutty, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic, onions, cashews, and maitakes, and cook, stirring continuously. When the onions become translucent, add the white wine and cook, stirring, until it has evaporated, about 6 minutes.
Add enough hot stock to cover the rice. Cook, stirring frequently and adding additional stock, tasting as you go. When the rice begins to become tender, and the mixture is thick and creamy, 25-35 minutes, and barely flows when dolloped onto a dish, add parmesan, butter, cream, and salt or Mushroom & Company seasoning to taste.
Serve each portion of risotto topped with a spoonful of garlic Cashew Crunch, Roasted Maitake, and a few dabs of Gremolata. Serves 4-6
What to Drink
A Chardonnay or Pinot Noir from Rescue Dog Wines, a Lodi Rules Certified Green portfolio of wine made from sustainable grapes, would be an excellent choice. The company’s mission is to support the placement of rescue dogs by donating 50% of its profits to rescue dog organizations nationwide.