Italian porcini mushrooms, fresh baby leaf spinach, Arborio rice, these are a few of my favourite things!

When the postman arrived with a parcel from Venice, it could only mean one of two things, either my good friend Michela from Italy had won the lottery and there were two flight tickets to Venice inside or a surprise pressie.

She didn’t win the lottery, but the pressie was fab! Thank you Michela! What a wonderful assortment of Italian spices to play with and a huge packet of dried porcini mushrooms.

Isn’t it lovely when people do things just off the cuff?
I feel a risotto coming on in her honour.

Serves 2
Prep Time 10 mins, plus 30 mins for soaking the mushrooms
Cooking Time 40 mins
Ingredients

• 30g Dried Porcini mushrooms
• 1 Medium Red onion, finely chopped
• 1 Clove garlic, finely chopped
• 50g Low fat butter spread
• 200g Champignon Mushrooms, thinly sliced
• Small glass dry white wine
• 150g Arborio rice
• 750ml Vegetable stock
• 150g Baby leaf spinach, washed
• Parmesan shavings to serve
• Salt and black pepper

Method

• Soak the porcini mushrooms according to packet instructions, then strain and reserve the liquid

• Melt the low fat butter in a large heavy duty saucepan
• Add the chopped onion

• cook for a few minutes

• then add the chopped garlic and cook until just soft
• Add the sliced Champignon Mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until they start to soften

• Add the rice and stir until thoroughly coated with the butter

• Pour in a the glass of dry white wine and bring to the boil, keep the heat up fairly high so all the liquid gets absorbed, stirring frequently
• Gradually add the stock, a ladleful at a time, wait till each has been absorbed before adding the next one, this will take about 30 minutes

• Now add the strained porcini liquid, let that absorb slightly before adding the porcini mushrooms
• Finally add the spinach and stir in until wilted
• Season and serve with parmesan cheese and ciabatta

Equipment

• Large heavy based saucepan

Shopping List

• 30g Dried Porcini mushrooms
• 1 Medium Red onion
• 1 Clove garlic
• 50g Low fat butter spread
• 200g Champignon Mushrooms
• Small glass dry white wine
• 150g Arborio rice
• 1 Vegetable stock cube
• 150g Baby leaf spinach
• Parmesan