Chorizo and Mushroom Risotto cooked
Flavour, flavour and more flavour are the essence of this superb chorizo and mushroom risotto.
There are two main types of Chorizo, the normal (sweet) variety and spicy (picante) chorizo. We like to use the spicy type although sometimes it does have quite a kick which some may not appreciate. As for mushrooms use whatever type you fancy. Button mushrooms are fine although the larger flat mushrooms have more flavour.
Chorizo and Mushroom Risotto Ingredients
300g / 10½oz Italian risotto rice
200g / 7oz mushrooms
100g / 3½oz chorizo
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves
2 celery sticks
1 sweet red pepper
850ml / 1½ pints vegetable stock
50g / 1¾oz butter
50g / 1¾oz Parmesan Cheese
½ teaspoon of dried thyme
1 glass dry white wine
1 to 2 teaspoons yellow food colouring (optional, see Cook's Notes above)
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Slice the chorizo
Finely chop the onion and garlic
Finely chop the celery and red pepper
Slice and roughly chop the mushrooms
Grate the Parmesan cheese.
Turn the oven to 170°C / Fan 150°C / 325°F / Gas Mark 3
Warm up the stock
Stir the food colouring (optional) into the stock.
The yellow food colouring in the ingredients list above is entirely optional and is there simply to give the rice a yellow colour - some like it some don't. If you do use it though don't go overboard because you will end up with an over-bright yellow risotto.
Add the chorizo, the mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of oil to the oven proof dish. Stir the ingredients and place it in the oven for 20 minutes while continuing with the other steps.
Place the frying pan on a low-medium heat, add two tablespoons of oil, the celery, red peppers and onions. Fry gently for 15 minutes turning the ingredients frequently.
Now add the rice to the frying pan and fry for 2 more minutes stirring the ingredients constantly.
Frying risotto rice
Pour the wine into the frying pan and mix the ingredients for two minutes.
The chorizo and mushrooms should be cooked by now and ready to remove from the oven. Add approximately two thirds of them to the frying pan and mix well.
Now add about a third of the stock, mix it in well and wait until the rice has absorbed most of it. Repeat with the next third of stock and finally the remaining third. Stir the ingredients every couple of minutes.
The exact amount of stock required will differ each time you cook this recipe but the rice should end up with a creamy texture but still have a slight "bite" to it. It should also "stack up" as shown in the picture below when cooked.
This step takes around 15 minutes but is variable depending on the pan heat and the temperature of the stock when you add it.
Cooked risotto rice "stacked up"
Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme and garlic and stir the ingredients well.
Add the Parmesan cheese and butter, mix them in well, remove the frying pan from the heat, cover it (a plate or aluminium foil will do if you have no proper lid) and let it stand for three minutes.
Serve in warm bowls and top each portion with the remaining roasted mushrooms and chorizo.
Chorizo and mushroom risotto