It's Friday - recipe day!

Cooking for friends is something I enjoy so much. Eating with friends is even better! Tomorrow night I am cooking for my best friend Anu and our handsome companions and though I am not cooking the following recipe I should be, because it's classic, simple and delicious. Perfect for the gorgeous Spring weather we've been having in Adelaide lately.

Mushroom Risotto

6 cups vegetable stock
500g mixture of mushrooms (the more variety the better)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white or red wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper

Clean mushroom with a soft brush or paper towel and roughly chop. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan and saute mushrooms until tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Place the stock in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

In a large frying pan or saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining butter and saute onion and garlic until softened, but not coloured. Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes, coating the grains. Stir in the wine until absorbed.

Add a half cup of stock, stirring well. When it is almost absorbed stir in another half cup and continue in this fashion for about 15 minutes until rice is half-cooked. Stir in half of the mushrooms and then continue adding stock, a half cup at a time, until it is all absorbed. Towards the end, check consistency of rice - it should be tender, but still slightly chewy; creamy, but not mushy (you may not need to use all the stock).

Stir in the remaining mushrooms, parsley, and parmesan, and season with pepper to taste. Serve piping hot, garnished with extra parmesan and parsley.

Yummmmm!

...now, where's the rest of that wine?