Grilled Wild Mushroom Risotto

Ingredients:
6 1/3 cups chicken stock
handful dried porcini mushrooms
extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 sticks celery, trimmed and finely chopped
14 ounces risotto rice
2/3 cup vermouth or white wine
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large handsful of wild mushrooms (chanterelles, shiitake, black trumpet or oyster), cleaned and sliced
a few sprigs of fresh chervil, tarragon or parsley, leaves picked and chopped
1 lemon, juiced
2 T unsalted butter
2 handsful freshly grated parmesan, plus extra for serving
Extra-virgin olive oil

Preparing the risotto:
Heat stock in a saucepan and keep it on a low simmer.

Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour in just enough hot stock to cover. Leave for a couple of minutes until they've softened. Fish them out of the stock and chop them, reserving the soaking liquid.

In a large pan, heat a glug of olive oil and add the onion and celery. Slowly fry without coloring for at least 10 minutes, then turn the heat up and add the rice and stir. Stir in the vermouth or wine and keep stirring until the liquid has cooked into the rice.

Pour the porcini soaking liquid through a sieve into the pan and add the chopped porcini, a good pinch of salt and your first ladle of hot stock. Turn the heat down to a simmer and keep adding ladlesful of stock, stirring constantly, allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. Continue adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite, about 30 minutes.

On a griddle or a grill, grill the wild mushrooms until soft. Don't crowd the mushrooms - grill them in batches. Remove to a bowl and add the chopped herbs, a pinch of salt and the lemon juice.

Take the risotto off the heat and check the seasoning carefully. Stir in the butter and the parmesan. It should be creamy in texture, but should spread slightly out on a plate; add a bit more stock if necessary. Put a lid on and leave the risotto to relax for about 3 minutes.

Taste, for seasoning or Parmesan. Serve a good dollop of risotto topped with some grilled dressed mushrooms, a sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Serves 4 to 6