The supermarket shelves are far from plentiful right now, and our weekly big shops have been stripped back to basics. That's why we've started a new series, Simple Recipes from Top Chefs, where we're going to be regularly providing you with... simple recipes from top chefs.

In this instalment, Michelin Star chef Theo Randall – proprietor of Theo Randall at the InterContinental Hotel London Park Lane – walks us through his mushroom risotto. Check out his cookbooks here, and support Hospitality Action here.

INGREDIENTS

250g of carnoroli risotto rice

1 tbsp of chopped onion

1 tbsp of chopped celery

500g chopped chestnut or Portobello mushrooms

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 litre of vegetable stock

1 tbsp of chopped flat leaf parsley

10g of dried Porcini mushrooms (soaked and drained)

1 clove of garlic finely chopped

1/2 tsp of chopped thyme

Dish, Cuisine, Food, Breakfast cereal, Breakfast, Ingredient, Steel-cut oats, Cereal, Meal, Porridge,
Theo Randall

METHOD

  1. In a hot large frying add 1 tbsp of olive oil and the mushrooms. A lot of water will come out of the mushrooms so empty the mushrooms of the liquid into a colander
  2. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil sliced garlic and the chopped thyme to the frying pan you cooked the mushrooms in. Return the cooked mushrooms to the pan immediately and add the soaked chopped porcini mushrooms and their liquid and cook until the they've become syrupy and look juicy but not dry. Season and keep to one side.
  3. In a straight sided saucepan add 1 tbsp of olive oil and cook the onions and celery until they are soft. Add the rice and cook, so that it absorbs the olive oil and is frying but not getting any colour.
  4. Start adding the stock one ladle at a time leaving enough of a gap so the stock gets absorbed by the rice. Make sure you use a wooden spoon and stir all the time as this will release the starch in the rice that will make the risotto really creamy. After 12 mins add the cooked mushrooms and cook for another 3 minutes so they get absorbed into the rice.
  5. Add another ladle of stock. Then add the parsley and another tbsp of olive oil. Take 1/2 a clove of garlic and crush it with some salt to a paste and add to the risotto to give the risotto a lovely richer flavour. Stir continuously so the liquid is reduced but is wet enough so that when you shake the pan you get waves. Check the seasoning. Serve in hot bowls.

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