Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto

Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto

SERVES 6
TIME About 1 hour
NOTES Begin roasting the mushrooms before you start making the risotto.

Ingredients
4 oz. bacon, diced
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion (8 oz.) peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1 tbsp. minced garlic
&#frac14; tsp. each salt and pepper
1 bunch (10 to 12 oz.) red chard
2 cups arborio (short-grain white) rice
1 cup dry white wine
About 6 cups fat-skimmed chicken broth
&#frac14; cup shredded parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. butter
Roasted chanterelle mushrooms (recipe follows)

Directions 1. In a 12-in. frying pan with 2-in.-tall sides or a 5-qt. pan over medium-high heat, stir bacon until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Discard all but about &#frac12; tbsp. bacon fat from pan.
2. Add 2 tbsp. olive oil to pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and stir frequently until onion is very soft and browned, 20 to 25 minutes (if onion starts to scorch, reduce heat further and stir in 2 tbsp. water).
3. Meanwhile, rinse chard. Trim and discard stem ends. Thinly slice stems crosswise and coarsely chop leaves. In a 5- to 6-qt. pan over high heat, bring about 3 qts. water to a boil. Add chard and cook, stirring occasionally, until stems are tender-crisp to bite, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, place in a large bowl of ice water until cool, and drain again.
4. Add rice to onions and stir until opaque, about 3 minutes. Add wine and stir over medium heat until absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 6 cups broth, a cup at a time, stirring after each addition until almost absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes total (rice should be tender to bite).
5. Stir in cheese, butter, bacon, chard, and roasted mushrooms. If risotto is thicker than desired, stir in a little more broth. Spoon risotto into wide, shallow bowls.

Roasted chanterelle mushrooms

In a 12- by 15-in. baking pan, mix 8 oz. rinsed and trimmed chanterelle mushrooms, cut into 1-in. pieces; 1 thinly sliced peeled shallot (2 oz.); 2 tbsp. olive oil; 1 tbsp. melted butter; 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves; and &#frac14; tsp. each salt and pepper. Bake in a 400&#deg; oven, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown on edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Use immediately or let stand until ready to use, up to 4 hours.

PER SERVING OF RISOTTO, INCLUDING MUSHROOMS 457 cal., 39% (180 cal.) from fat; 18 g protein; 20 g fat (6.6 g sat.); 52 g carbo (5.8 g fiber); 577 mg sodium; 23 mg chol.

Serve with Stone Paddock “Scarlet” Red Blend 2007 (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand)