Preparing dried mushrooms for risotto
I plan to cook a basic mushroom risotto. However, the supermarket near us did not have shitake or any other uncanned mushrooms, they only had dried ones. My question is, do I just remove the stem and place it straight into the risotto as the risotto finishes cooking?
I've seen and watched tutorials on how to cook a mushroom risotto. There are those who cook the mushroom (take out the stem and cut coarsely) by sautéing them in oil and onion. When the mushrooms sweat out, they put it in the risotto. However, there are those who cook out the mushroom and then add the rice in the same pot and cook the risotto. The point is that sweating out the mushrooms concentrate the flavor.
Since my mushrooms are already dry, do I have to do anything else aside from taking out the stem and cutting them coarsely? Is it acceptable if I sauté them or if I let them sit in hot water?
EDIT:
I found this recipe that adjusted the risotto recipe for what's available in our country. It mentioned that I should soak the dried mushrooms in hot water, strain that water, and if I got it correctly, add the liquid to my stock. Can I skip this process? What's the advantages of soaking the mushrooms in warm water?
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I just made mushroom/truffle risotto for lunch! No joke!!
Here's what to do with the dried. First, rinse thoroughly, they're infamous for grit. Now soak them for one half an hour in a little bowl of the broth (hot) you intend to use for the risotto. No need to remove stems, just chop them up with the rest.
After one half an hour, wring them out, using your hands. Save the broth. Using a very fine sieve, or some cheesecloth, or even a coffee filter...pour the broth back into the broth you will use to make your risotto. If nothing else, just allow the little bowl of mushroom broth to sit for a bit, and pour carefully, most of the grit will sink.
Chop up the shrooms. If you can mix them with some diced up fresh, great.
BTW consider aged Gouda instead of Parmesan. Yummy!
Served with a sunny-side-up egg and buttered toast?? Fit for a queen.
The water that hydrates the mushrooms is very flavorful. It shouldn't be wasted.
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