Risotto ai Funghi

Melt half the butter with the olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. When foaming subsides, add the fresh mushrooms in a single layer — do not crowd them or they will steam and grey rather than roast. Cook without stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until deeply golden on the bottom, then toss and cook 2 more minutes. Add the garlic and thyme, toss 30 seconds, season with salt and pepper. Remove from the pan to a bowl and reserve. The mushrooms will go back in at the finish.

In the same pan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the shallots and sweat gently for 4 to 5 minutes until soft and translucent — no browning. Add the dry Carnaroli rice and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes until every grain turns translucent and picks up a faint nutty smell. This tostatura seals the outside of the grain, slowing starch release for a creamy-yet-al-dente finish. Add the white wine all at once and stir until completely absorbed.

Begin adding the warm mushroom stock — including the strained porcini soaking liquid — one ladle at a time. After each addition, stir constantly until the stock is almost fully absorbed before adding the next ladle. The starches released from the Carnaroli grains need this constant agitation to build the surrounding creamy matrix. This process takes 16 to 18 minutes over steady medium heat. Taste after 14 minutes — the rice should be just approaching al dente. Season with salt as you go. Keep the stock warm in a separate pan; cold stock shocks the rice and breaks the rhythm.

Pull the pan completely off the heat. Add the reserved sautéed mushrooms and fold them through. Then add the cold butter (cubed) and the Parmigiano all at once. Stir vigorously in a circular motion — this is the mantecatura, the moment where the fat from the cold butter emulsifies with the starchy cooking liquid to create the glossy, creamy sauce. Season to taste. The risotto should flow on the plate like a wave — not stand in a pile, not pour like soup. This is all'onda and it requires the risotto to be slightly looser than you think, because it sets on the plate.