During the winter months risotto becomes a staple midweek dish, and an oft-used dinner party go-to.

It is incredibly soothing to stand over the fragrant mixture gently stirring and adding stock, a large glass of something crisp and white in hand.

The things that make risotto great are, in my opinion, excellent stock, good rice, and keeping the flavours few, and simple.

The stock: Homemade chicken stock, or a really good vegetable bouillon (Marigold make an excellent one) watered down to desired strength. If you’re not a vegetarian, you will probably find that you alternate between the two depending on your additions; if I’m wanting a lighter risotto or adding strong vegetables, like leeks, I’ll use vegetable stock.

On rice: Carnaroli or Arborio are the rice types generally found in risottos, with Carnaroli holding its shape slightly better, giving more texture, which works best in plain risottos. I use Arborio whenever I’m adding additional textures.

One of my favourite risotto recipes contains broad beans, lemon and rosemary; it will undoubtedly make an appearance here soon.

Today though, the prevalence of fungi to be foraged demands that I share this; mushrooms are roasted with butter and sweet shallot and then added to a basic risotto at the final stages of its cooking. This method gives a deeply savoury, intensified mushroomy-ness, and is absolutely a meal in itself.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

250g Fresh mushrooms – if you’ve foraged them all the better, but even  a punnet of chestnut mushrooms from the supermarket work well in this.

5g dried mushrooms

2  shallots

200g risotto rice

1 pint rich chicken or vegetable stock

5fl oz dry white wine

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

3 Tbsp parmesan reggiano, grated

Salt and pepper

Truffle oil, to serve

Method:

Preheat oven to 160˚ C

Wipe and quarter the fresh mushrooms.

Halve your shallot and thinly slice each half  lengthways, so you have julienne strips; put them in a shallow roasting pan with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the fresh mushrooms, mix well and roast for 20 minutes or so, until mushrooms are slightly shrivelled and onion is light golden brown, then add half a tablespoon of butter and plenty of seasoning, turn the oven off but return the tray to keep the mixture warm whilst you make the risotto.

Put the stock into a saucepan and add your dry mushrooms and half a pint of boiling water. Bring to the boil then turn heat very low.

In a separate pan, add the remaining olive oil, and half a tablespoon of the remaining butter over low heat. Finely chop  a shallot, and add to the pan when the butter begins to foam. Sauté without colouring for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent.

Tip the rice in and stir well to coat the grains in oil. Turn the heat to medium and pour in the wine, stirring all the time. Once the liquid has boiled away, begin to add the stock (with the now reconstituted mushrooms), a ladle at a time, stirring constantly. The process with take about 20 minutes.

When the rice is just slightly al dente, and you’ve added enough stock to achieve the right consistency (you may have a little leftover), take your roasted onion and mushroom mixture and stir through (you can keep a little back for garnish). Turn the heat off but leave the risotto pan on the hot ring. Add 2 tablespoons of the parmesan, the remaining butter, and stir through, then leave for 2 minutes before serving.

Serve in warmed dishes, dressed with the remaining parmesan, and drizzled with truffle oil.