CHEF and blogger Paul James writes for our paper.
AS A teetotaller for the last four years one thing I miss and that’s a pint of Guinness.
Now with all these non alcoholic drinks becoming more popular I was pleased to be given four cans of the non-alcoholic type.
I found it sweeter than the original if I remember right, but refreshing just the same.
Sitting at home thinking of various development dishes from around the world I could come up with and having a couple of sips of the black stuff, I came up with this recipe using part Guinness and vegetable stock to make a wild mushroom and pea risotto.
The wild mushrooms and Guinness marries perfectly together.
I used Carnaroli rice instead of the more common arborio rice, the reason being it holds its shape better and gives it a more firmer texture than the more gloopier risotto you may have made.
Risotto is one of those dishes that kicks off fairly quickly but then slows down for a bit needed patience while stirring in the stock gradually.
Overall I was pleased with the final dish, I will definitely be making this again!
I also think it would be a sure fire hit on St Patrick’s Day too.
Visit recipesfrommytravels.com for more on Paul’s recipes and blog.
Guinness Risotto with peas and wild mushrooms
INGREDIENTS
A couple of knobs of butter
220g Carnaroli rice
125ml of Non-Alcoholic Guinness
1 litre of good quality hot vegetable stock
Handful of frozen peas
Handful of wild mushrooms finely sliced
Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated.
2 bay leaves.
Seasoning to taste.
Fresh Basil leaves for decoration.
METHOD
1. In a large frying pan add the butter and cook on a medium heat until it starts to foam, then add your mushrooms, peas, bay leaves and rice, coating every grain of rice with the butter. The foaming butter will give a nutty taste to your final dish.
2. Cook for a few minutes then add all of the Guinness. Keep stirring gently until all of the Guinness has reduced right down and the ingredients have soaked in all the wonderful flavours.
3. Remove the bay leaves and start adding the hot vegetable stock gradually using a ladle or large spoon. This is where you need to keep on stirring so that the starch in the rice breaks down giving you that creamy consistency.
4. Every ladle of stock needs to be reduced right down before adding another.
5. Once all the stock has been used and reduced down, turn off the heat and add the finely grated cheese, stir and cover with a lid.
6. I leave mine covered for a good eight minutes, remove lid and stir in a cold knob of butter (optional). I like my risotto firm to the bite and not gloopy like some risottos you see.
7. Season to taste if you wish with ground black pepper.
8. Spoon into a warm bowl and sprinkle with more parmigiano and a sprinkle of fresh basil leaves.
