Ingredients:
250g Button Mushrooms wiped clean & quartered
5g Fresh Thyme rinsed, picked & finely chopped
30ml Vegetable Stock
160g Spinach rinsed
1 Onion peeled & finely diced
2 Garlic Cloves peeled & grated
200ml Arborio Rice
100ml De-alcoholised White Wine
5ml Truffle Zest
50g Whole Italian-style Hard
Cheese grated
50g Goat's Cheese
1 Lemon zested & cut into wedges
Method:
1. GOLDEN MUSHIES Boil the kettle. Place a pot (big enough for the risotto) over a medium-high heat with oil. When hot, fry the quartered mushrooms and chopped thyme for 4-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the pot on completion and season.
2. GREEN MOMENT Dilute the stock with 700ml of boiling water and set aside. Bring a pot of water to a boil. When boiling, blanch ⅔ of the spinach for 1-2 minutes until wilted - be careful not to overcook. Drain on completion and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. When cooled, squeeze out as much water as you can. Add the wilted spinach and 60ml of diluted stock to a blender, and pulse until smooth.
3. RISOTTO Return the pot to a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the diced onion for 2-3 minutes until soft and translucent. In the final minute, add the grated garlic and cook for a minute until fragrant, shifting constantly. Stir through the rice for a minute. Pour in the wine and simmer until evaporated. Add a ladleful of stock and allow it to be absorbed by gently simmering, stirring regularly. Only add the next ladle of stock when the previous one has been fully absorbed. Repeat this process for 20-25 minutes until the rice is cooked al dente.
4. CREAMY SENSATION In the final 2-3 minutes of the risotto, stir through the fried mushrooms, ½ of the truffle zest, grated ¾ of the grated Italian-style cheese and 40g of butter. Season to taste and remove from the heat. Just before serving, stir through the blended spinach. In a bowl, toss the remaining spinach through some lemon juice, a drizzle of oil and season to taste.
5. WARM UP YOUR BELLY Dish up a helping of risotto and crumble over the goat's cheese. Garnish with the remaining hard cheese and truffle zest (to taste). Top with the dressed spinach. There you have it!
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