Lunch
Mushroom Risotto with Natas
Lunch
Creamy mushroom risotto finished with Portuguese natas and cheese — the classic, Le's way.
Ingredients
- 150 g arborio rice (3/4 cup)
- 200 g fresh mushrooms, sliced (about 2.5 cups)
- 1 Maggi vegetable bouillon cube
- 700 ml warm water (3 cups)
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 100 ml natas (just under 1/2 cup)
- 30 g grated cheese (small handful)
- 1 tbsp butter (size of your thumb tip)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- Dissolve the Maggi vegetable cube in 700ml of warm water. Keep it warm in a saucepan on the side.
- Heat olive oil and butter in the frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the sliced mushrooms and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until golden.
- Add the arborio rice and stir to coat in the butter and mushroom juices for 1 minute.
- Add one ladle of warm stock. Stir until absorbed. Add another ladle. Repeat. Stir often but not constantly — stir, walk away for a minute, come back, stir again.
- Continue adding stock one ladle at a time for about 18-20 minutes until the rice is creamy but still has a bite.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the natas and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Let it rest for 2 minutes — it will thicken slightly. Finish with parsley.
- Serve straight from the pan. It should flow slowly on the plate, not stand stiff.
Notes
First stovetop risotto! Remember the four rules: warm stock, one ladle at a time, stir often not constantly, stop when creamy with a bite. Natas at the end makes it Portuguese. Use vegetable stock for a lighter flavour that lets the mushrooms shine. Chef Simão recipe 🍄🍳
By Chef Claude