Mushroom Risotto

Cut the onion in half through the root. Peel and then chop into small chunks (½cm is perfect). Peel and grate the garlic (or use a garlic press if you have one). Slice the mushrooms as thinly as you can. Roughly chop the parsley.

In a wide-bottomed saucepan, heat a glug of oil over medium heat. Add your onion and cook for 5 mins or until soft. Add the arborio rice, coat the grains and cook for 1 minute more. Tip: You want the rice grains to become slightly translucent. Pour in the white wine vinegar, add half of your mushrooms and cook for 2 mins until your vinegar evaporates.

Add a ladle of hot stock and stir continuously until your stock has been absorbed, then add another ladle. Repeat this process for approximately 20-25 mins or until your rice is ‘al dente’. Tip: ‘Al dente’ simply means the rice is cooked through but has a tiny bit of firmness left in the middle.

Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add your remaining mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook for about 5 mins, stirring occasionally until your mushrooms are brown and juicy. Add your garlic and cook for 1 minute more, then add half your parsley. Keep to one side.

When your rice is cooked, tip your mushrooms and any pan juices into your rice, taste and season accordingly. Add half of the hard Italian cheese, the leftover butter and stir well.